Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habeck

23 reviews

hocuscrocus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Man. If I were just rating part one, it would be an EASY 5. That was some of the most beautiful literature I've ever read. I was sobbing by the end. I can definitely understand why the format might not be everyone's cup of tea but I absolutely loved it.

Unfortunately, the book lost me in part 2. It's a lovely story, but it felt like too far a meander from the gut punch that was part one. If it were up to me, I would have had just the first part, about half of the third part, and the epilogue.

All that said, I whipped through this book like wildfire.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Dementia, Violence, Chronic illness, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Animal death, Death, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Confinement

Minor: Abortion and Infertility

tetrootz's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Body horror, Blood, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Medical trauma, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Drug use

Minor: Miscarriage, Abortion, Infertility, Infidelity, Alcohol, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Alcoholism

stefcornell's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A

4.25

The way this book is written is intriguing and entertaining. For folks that have been a caretaker for a family member with an illness, this book is heart wrenching. While the illnesses portrayed in the book aren't your typical ones, they feel reminiscent of real illnesses.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Grief, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt

sby's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, and Death of parent

tabookish's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Abandonment, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, and Adult/minor relationship

wowsmeows's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

"In this evanescent moment, the love of his life and the moon became indistinguishable from each other, casting everything Lewis feared about the future in the real but temporary light off goodness. Time suspended,
Lewis promised himself to always remember Wren like this, a masterpiece..."

Shark Heart follows the story of newlyweds Lewis and Wren. All seems well in their relationship until Lewis receives an unexpected diagnosis - he's mutating into a great white shark.

I went into the story thinking it would be just linear story following the main characters as they go through the strange process of the mutation, but I was very wrong. We find out about Lewis' condition within the first 10 pages, and we are also told that animal mutations are normal in this world within the book. The story is told through excerpts from a play, flashbacks and poetry. When I initially picked up the book I thought the concept sounded really interesting, so was surprised when it turned out to be more artsy than a traditional story. 

Shark Heart is an artistic exploration of grief, loss and how people change, sometimes literally. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse

mxyfrzn's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Dementia

Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, and Physical abuse

Minor: Abortion, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Rape, Animal death, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Suicidal thoughts

jhansell's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness and Chronic illness

norspider's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

It will break and build your heart.

Shark Heart tells of love that ends in tragedy. Of people who are loved, even with the worst parts of themselves. Of finding beauty, meaning, and purpose in the mundane. Written in a unique style; blending prose, poetry, and play. Emily Habeck has crafted something eminently readable. 

Set in multiple distinct parts, this book explores the many facets of relationships; how they can begin, how they endure, and how they (sometimes) end. 

Shark Heart is inspiring, uplifting, and tragic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Medical content, Body horror, Grief, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Pregnancy

readingonthefly's review

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Blood

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Abortion