Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habeck

23 reviews

breanneporter's review

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

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

4.0

I’m not totally sure how to rate this one. It’s a very quick read and an interesting concept written in a fairly unique style, but I’m not sure I’ll be taking much away from it, and I was a bit disappointed by the ending. Shark Heart takes place in an alternate version of our timeline where humans can undergo mutations into other animals, and follows newlywed 35-year-olds, Lewis and Wren as Lewis transforms into a great white shark. It flashes back and forward through time, to both Wren’s and Lewis’ (but mostly Wren’s) childhoods and young adulthoods, and shows us the before, during, and after effects of Lewis’ transformation. 

It’s certainly a whacky concept but it was an interesting thought experiment and I liked the format of the novel, which had short chapters and various “scenes,” as if from a play that Lewis was writing. I really liked Wren’s backstory and how her past was gradually revealed to us. I was engaged and interested to keep reading, but was disappointed by the ending.

I didn’t particularly like Lewis’ final chapters, taking place in the ocean with the other human-turned-shark character, which I found just slightly too strange and cringey (I think the exaggerated audio narration may have played a part in this assessment)  I also think the ending was a cop-out, with Wren being surprised by a pregnancy and giving birth to a daughter that becomes her whole reason for living. I’m not sure what it really said about love and grief in the end, or perhaps I’m just not sure it said anything new or interesting about either one.  Also I hated the tiny pregnant woman storyline so much.

All in all it’s a fairly enjoyable short read and time will tell if it leaves a larger impression on me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Pregnancy

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

emilywemily6's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

This was weird and intriguing and I couldn’t put this book down. I loved how the book has some theatrical scenes sprinkled in. I could really see how Lewis and Wren fell for each other, they loved each other so much. I loved the prose and the questions it brought up (explicitly or implicitly) about love, change, and terminal illness. While I appreciated Angela’s story, I wish it hadn’t felt so separate from Lewis and Wren’s story; it kind of took me out of the book a little, especially with how much time was spent on Angela’s life before Wren was born. Though by the end of that section I saw how it was all connected; I wish the author had taken a different direction in connecting these stories together. And I loved the ending but wanted more! I will think about this book for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, and Grief

Moderate: Blood, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content, Abandonment, Pandemic/Epidemic, Animal cruelty, and Infidelity

cait's review

reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Blood, Infidelity, Grief, Pregnancy, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Self harm, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, and Terminal illness

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

this was interesting… it was like the straight version of our wives under the sea 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Grief, and Medical content

blakeandbooks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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: Medical content, Abandonment, and Grief

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, and Child abuse

Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

carlyjb16's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Death, Chronic illness, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Moderate: Blood and Animal death

Minor: Pregnancy and Abortion

eviemayhem's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense

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

5.0

I chose this as my Book of the Month, unsure if I would like it. As someone who has both lost a child and has a turbulent relationship with my mother, the premise spoke to me and I'm so glad I gave it a chance. The book is beautifully written; lyrical and flowing like a river. It is hard to believe this is the author's first book. There were so many points where I wanted to cry, and at times I didn't want to finish because my heart was breaking for Lewis and Wren. As someone who lives with a chronic disease, it is easy to see the story fold out from both sides: Someone living with a disease that is changing them at their core and that they can't stop, and the person giving up themselves to take care of a loved one. 

Bring a box of tissues.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Medical content, Abandonment, Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Confinement, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Pedophilia

I tried to get the content tags right, but some of these things are so nuanced, that medical trauma, medical content seemed the closest I could find.

amanda_mh's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

This was by far the weirdest book I have ever read. While also being incredibly emotional and thought provoking. But strange very strange and I devoured this book 🦈 ♥️ 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness

booksbeyondthebinary's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy and Medical content

Minor: Terminal illness, Body horror, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts