Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers

35 reviews

swaino's review

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

This book gave me mixed emotions. The writing style was flawless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading these perfectly curated sentences and chapters. 

It’s the plot that has given me the mixed feelings. I regret to say that I believed it to be quite predictable, with the origins of the virgin birth being what I had expected from the very beginning. The ending was also quite unnecessary and, if I dare say, almost ruined the book for me (whether that was out of heartbreak for the main character or a somewhat lazy plot, I am not so sure). 

Before the end, I wanted to give this book 4/5 stars, but the ending took me back. Perhaps after a few days of ruminating over this book I may change my mind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Grief, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexism

anyapoundall02's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault and Mental illness

kthumphrey's review

emotional informative lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

I really enjoyed the writing style and I think it fit very well with the time period and overall setting the book takes place in. There were just so many things I thought were lazy and/or unnecessary in the book. Everyone mentions the ending being so poorly thought out, and I totally agree. If you have to explain the ending in the afterword, maybe it shouldn’t have been the ending of the novel. It just felt so random. I also hate how this book dealt with some sensitive topics like mental illness and SA. Such a shame, because I liked the setting and the prose so much. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Sexual assault

Minor: Abandonment

saarahkaatharina's review

emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Rape

literarydumpling's review

emotional mysterious slow-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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Rape and Abortion

Minor: Mental illness

imds's review

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Abandonment, Ableism, Car accident, Death of parent, Infidelity, Cancer, Grief, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Abortion, and Confinement

Minor: Antisemitism

jackbifrost's review

hopeful mysterious relaxing sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Infidelity, Dementia, Chronic illness, Mental illness, and Medical content

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Terminal illness, Abortion, and Rape

Minor: War and Death of parent

merrynthomas's review

challenging emotional lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical content, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Mental illness

Minor: Sexual assault and Rape

laurennicole98's review against another edition

emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion

Moderate: Death, Grief, and Confinement

Minor: Cancer, Dementia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, and Mental illness

sundaybookclub's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Infidelity, Death, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Terminal illness, Confinement, Pregnancy, and Rape

Minor: Cancer