Reviews - Bánat és öröm

7.29k reviews for:

Bánat és öröm

Meg Mason

4.16 AVERAGE

motherofladybirds's review against another edition

3.0

emotional funny medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

jennreadsallthetime's review against another edition

1.0

This may be one of the worst and most infuriating books I’ve ever read. And I only finished it so I could legitimately review it. Of particular note, I finished this the day after the positively horrific mass shooting in Maine as evidence that the shooter exhibited signs of mental illness is being reported. This book and it’s depiction of mental illness is wildly irresponsible.

Martha is a horrible person. Selfish, bratty, moody, hateful. Later in the book she is diagnosed with a mental illness which is referred to as ———-. The author states “The medical symptoms described in this book are not consistent with a genuine medical illness.”

Let me get this straight - the author wants her protagonist to be sympathetic? That she behaves like a dick because she’s mentally ill? Even with medication to treat her fictional condition she still acts like a spoiled brat.

Since when in this century does an author get to make up a mental illness? And what an insult to the millions of people who have legitimate, real-life mental illnesses. Or the even more people who love the people struggling with it.

Can’t Martha just be an asshat without a doctor’s diagnosis? There are so many things wrong with this book and I am shocked the rating is so high.

marjoleinrath's review against another edition

4.25

sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

avidha11's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mariafinnegan's review against another edition

4.75

medium-paced

dr_anarcute's review against another edition

5.0

I've grown fond of this genre of novels written by women in an autobiographical manner often about childhood trauma and mental health with poignant reflections. I'm not sure if there is a specific name for it but this book is an excellent example of that genre. It reads like an extremely well-written journal and feels like a melancholic acoustic song (specifically, 'November' by Azure Ray). That used to be one of my favourite songs during my London years; I had forgotten the name with no way of googling it since I couldn't remember any details other than how it made me feel. This book being set in London jotted my memory and really pulled me into the story. One of the reviewers described it as The Bell Jar meets Fleabag which is very fitting. The relationship between the main character, Martha, and her sister was so sarcastic yet full of unconditional love. Martha is an unlikeable character but uncomfortably relatable. She tells a sad yet quietly hilarious and oddly empowering story of her life's decisions propelled by a misdiagnosed mental illness.

maplestree's review against another edition

5.0

"It is hard to look into someone's eyes. Even when you love them, it is difficult to sustain it, for the sense of being seen through." I loved how raw and beautiful the author describes Martha's illness