Reviews tagging 'Death'

Bellies by Nicola Dinan

38 reviews

ineffable97's review

reflective sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Transphobia, Homophobia, and Drug use

Minor: Sexual assault

imrereads's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I saw someone else describe this as a meditation on vulnerability and intimacy, and I feel that so hard. I'm a little bit at a loss for words, but I felt so close to these characters, and by the last few chapters I did what I almost never do – I cried. I think my biggest issue with this book where the time jumps, for a while I found them very jarring, I couldn't quite tell how much time had passed, but eventually I got into the rythmn of it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Sexual content

Moderate: Car accident

bebobel's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Eating disorder

Moderate: Grief, Death, and Death of parent

bookishmillennial's review

challenging emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

This was such a tender read that follows Ming and Tom’s relationship (romantic, platonic, and non-speaking terms) over the years. We read how two people continue to yearn for and ruminate on the past, and feel so isolated to their present lives.

There’s a “is this fucking play about us?”moment, and though these characters work through seething anger, betrayal, and heartache, it’s ultimately about the gratitude, melancholy, simmering pain, and reverence we hold for past connections. 

If you enjoyed Normal People by Sally Rooney and Ariana Grande’s eternal sunshine (read: i wish i hated you, bye, & we can’t be friends), this is your book! (Also, this review doesn't do this book justice & I may try to come back & write a more detailed review .... one day!)

Thank you to my friend @maddysbookopinions for speaking so highly of this book & moving it up on my TBR!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Transphobia

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Car accident, and Death of parent

anaheeta's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This felt like reading a memoir, I mean that in the sense that all characters and events and feelings were so fleshed out that it felt like I was reading about the people through their own minds. It was emotional and heartbreaking. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Body shaming

Moderate: Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Eating disorder

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, Dementia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Cancer, and Infidelity

keraashley's review

4.25

I think if this book was 60 pages shorter, it would have been a 5 star for me. 
It is so overly descriptive, like every movement a person takes and what the chair they're sitting in looks like. 
But the relationship between Ming and Tom is so good, and the growing pains and changes that everyone in this friend group goes through as Ming transitions was very well done. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Death, and Car accident

bootsmom3's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Grief, Drug use, Death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Dementia and Death of parent

ukponge's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Death, Death of parent, and Deadnaming

milliemarilyn's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was one of the most beautiful books I have read in a long time. It is very character driven, with the plot being taken from the relationships between the characters. If you are a plot-driven reader and need snappy plot points then you may struggle with this one as it is slower paced. 
I adored the characters in this book, I could read about Tom and Ming forever. The writing is raw and tender, the characters are increasingly vulnerable as they move into adulthood and try to figure out who they are and what that means for not only themselves but the others in their lives. Overall this is a stunning and real exploration of youth, queerness, transness, friendship and relationships and I have nothing negative to say about it, hence the 5 star review. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder and Death

Minor: Death of parent

hanhantap's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Transphobia, and Death

Minor: Terminal illness and Mental illness