Reviews

The Need by Helen Phillips

msbedelia's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Not my thing, but interesting. I've read bad versions of this written by men and it was cool to see a decent, female and mother centered version that wasn't cliche. I didn't end up liking it enough I would tell my past self to read it, however. 

hollidayreadswithme's review against another edition

2.0

What the hell did I just read?
I honestly have no clue.
Maybe this is too high brow for me to understand.
I got this as a recommendation for a spooky read, but I don’t think this one was for me.

louisayd's review against another edition

2.0

The narrator of the audiobook has the most annoying child voice.

soph92__'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

tigleo's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

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

2.0

A lot of time wasted for a story that ultimately didn't go anywhere. Waz this written exclusively for mothers who have nursed children?

jheb128's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-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

3.0

kstericker's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

kkrato's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

jenhurst's review against another edition

3.0

Interesting idea, loved the weirdness but if there was a top 5 most annoying children in books this is it. It makes me not want to have children

snazzy_suze's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

This book was simultaneously mundane and tense - I read it an an afternoon. It might be a more interesting and meaningful read to a parent, particularly a parent who birthed and breastfed their children. For me it was just kind of boring and gross to read about the narrator lactating every other page.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit

Moderate: Child death and Mass/school shootings

Minor: Car accident