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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
First 60% of the book was pretty slow and tough (main character is abusive to her husband), but ends up a powerful read for those struggling with severe mental illness.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loved this one. Read like a memoir. Depicts mental health and the toll in loved ones. Sister relationship was great. As was parent-child. I could handle a Patrick or Ingrid spinoff
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infertility, Mental illness
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
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
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bliss and Sorrow was a good read but Martha is hard to like, even though her character develops throughout. I felt like Meg Mason’s writing was engaging and although I wanted to finish I was not very invested in the outcome. I did enjoy the humorous parts. Good read for the right person.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is a love letter to anyone who has struggled or
loved someone with mental health. Because of that, I am
not going to give it a "star" rating as it's one of those reads
that I believe to be imperative for everyone.
Sorrow and Bliss is an intimate, raw portrayal of a life
marred by a multifaceted mental illness (cleverly only
marked as _) with as many symptoms and outbursts
as there are moments of reflection, puzzlement and, yes,
even moments of bliss. I'll confess that it took me a minute
to get into the immediacy of the narration with which
Mason writes; a witty, dry humor that is so representative
of the exhaustion and hilarity those of us with mental
health struggles often find ourselves in. The meaning of it
all is found not just in the words themselves but in the
thoughts underneath. This is where Mason's artistry truly
shines.
As we get deeper into Martha's story, the curtain lifts and
her internal reflections become more profound as Martha
begins to convey the obviousness of her diagnoses that
those around her either didn't see or, in some cases,
deliberately refused to acknowledge.
There are so many things I loved throughout the book
from the relationship between sisters Martha and Ingrid
(which frequently reminded me of the sister duo in
Fleabag) to Martha's deadpan responses. The most
important moments, in my opinion, were those where
Mason subtly injected societal realities around mental
health and how we treat people with the stigma, from
showing symptoms to post-diagnosis. There was even a
poignant reference to abortion, which I included in the
photos.
All in all, there's a reason this book was shortlisted for
@womensprize - it's not to be missed. There are quite a
few content warnings for this one, so feel free to DM me with questions.
loved someone with mental health. Because of that, I am
not going to give it a "star" rating as it's one of those reads
that I believe to be imperative for everyone.
Sorrow and Bliss is an intimate, raw portrayal of a life
marred by a multifaceted mental illness (cleverly only
marked as _) with as many symptoms and outbursts
as there are moments of reflection, puzzlement and, yes,
even moments of bliss. I'll confess that it took me a minute
to get into the immediacy of the narration with which
Mason writes; a witty, dry humor that is so representative
of the exhaustion and hilarity those of us with mental
health struggles often find ourselves in. The meaning of it
all is found not just in the words themselves but in the
thoughts underneath. This is where Mason's artistry truly
shines.
As we get deeper into Martha's story, the curtain lifts and
her internal reflections become more profound as Martha
begins to convey the obviousness of her diagnoses that
those around her either didn't see or, in some cases,
deliberately refused to acknowledge.
There are so many things I loved throughout the book
from the relationship between sisters Martha and Ingrid
(which frequently reminded me of the sister duo in
Fleabag) to Martha's deadpan responses. The most
important moments, in my opinion, were those where
Mason subtly injected societal realities around mental
health and how we treat people with the stigma, from
showing symptoms to post-diagnosis. There was even a
poignant reference to abortion, which I included in the
photos.
All in all, there's a reason this book was shortlisted for
@womensprize - it's not to be missed. There are quite a
few content warnings for this one, so feel free to DM me with questions.