Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

35 reviews

kaiulanilee's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Overall I loved this book. The writing was absolutely stunning, especially the way she describes food and certain cultural moments. I thought the messages surrounding love, family, culture, and understanding were absolutely incredible and gripped at my heart a ton. She was able to mix in a lot of political and historical issues going on which made the book even more fleshed out, in my opinion. You never felt like you were in a class but I definitely learned a good amount about Iran, Persian culture, and the dynamics in the country at this time. The way she wrote Roya’s family and their dynamic was so stunning it absolutely melted my heart. I also thought her use of time was quite well done! 

On the negative side, there were moments where I felt like ideas kept repeating when they didn’t need to, particularly in regards to Roya’s internal monologue as she’s missing Bahman. It felt slightly repetitive in that aspect but it was nothing to bad. I also found the letter he writes to her at the end to be so focused on explaining what happened that it didn’t actually feel like a letter to someone. I know she had to have a way that things are explained but it was especially odd in letter format, to me.

This all being said, I would HIGHLY recommend this book. It’s stunning and captures so much about love for the people in your life so incredibly well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia

lilcoppertop's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Death

Minor: Abortion and Terminal illness

fsprouls's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is perhaps one of the best and the most heartbreaking books I've read in awhile. You are told (most) of the ending at the start of the book, which leads you to root for the ending not to happen and for events to unfold differently. There were many heartbreaking moments of grief, for me especially when

Roya and Walter's child died, Bahman's death from Parkinson's and his letter revealing his side of the story, and then the very end when it was revealed why Mr. Fakhri went to the Square to find Roya.

There is a sense of closure with all of the main characters by the end of the novel, but I haven't stopped thinking about how the events unfolded and the various characters since I finished reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Child death

Minor: Infertility and Infidelity

valeriamrtnz's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Grief, Death, and Emotional abuse

bibliophilicemily's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Grief

Moderate: Self harm and Mental illness

Minor: Emotional abuse and Police brutality