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Reviews tagging 'Death'
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
41 reviews
sierrah_2101's review
4.25
For me, this book was a fairly slow start as Kolker first sets up the history between Mimi and Don, where we can already see cracks forming in their partnership. But, once Donald - their first son - was born, things quickly spiraled from there. My main appreciation for this book was Kolker's writing. Whether it comes to complicated family interactions or translating complex technical and medical discoveries for the layman. It very rarely dragged, and at times, it almost felt like time was moving too fast through the pages. I never felt lost or overwhelmed until the
As for the downsides, there were only two major ones. One of which other reviewers have also brought up multiple times, but I wish that there was more discussion of the personal thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of other family members other than the two youngest daughters, which are Kolker's focuses throughout the story. I understand the difficulty in interviewing people with schizophrenia, especially people with as severe cases as some of the Galvin sons had, but it almost felt like half the story was missing without their opinions and ideas presented really at all.
The other is that, despite the many decades of devoted scientific work it feels as though... Not much happened? Again, I can't blame this on Kolker at all, I went into this book understanding it wasn't going to "crack the case on schizophrenia" at all, but there sadly wasn't much more than,
Overall, this is a fascinating and very digestible read that will leave you just as hopeful as upset with everything these parents and twelve children went through. An enlightening and humble book, I would highly recommend Kolker's work to anyone interested in the history of mental illnesses and the monumental cultural and scientific changes that America has seen in the past 60 years. 4.25/5 stars.
Graphic: Rape, Mental illness, Incest, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Murder, Gun violence, Death, Suicide, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Medical content, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Emotional abuse, Drug use, War, Physical abuse, and Infidelity
texashuneyb's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Self harm, Rape, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Violence, Abortion, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
missmichalalynn's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Self harm, Pedophilia, Drug use, Death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Rape, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
sylvestra's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, and Death
katebooklist's review
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Sexual violence, Rape, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Death, Confinement, Sexual assault, Murder, Incest, Medical trauma, Sexism, Addiction, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Child abuse, Cursing, Dementia, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Drug abuse, Chronic illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Child death
lngoldstein's review
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Death
ginac's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Medical content and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Medical content
Minor: Rape
thechocolatefinger's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual assault
Moderate: Self harm, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, and Suicide
The acts of rape/sexual assault to a child sibling were described, but not in too much detail, and in only a couple chapters. Everything is in 3rd person. The death of parent is described and talked about (like going to the funeral), but the death itself wasn’t described very in-detail and it was a natural death. There was also religious delusions (believing self to be God, and believing God was sending them a message). The school shootings was mentioned once, and a specific event wasn’t discussed.librarymouse's review
4.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Murder, Pedophilia, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicide, Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, and Suicide attempt
bersblue's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Emotional abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Addiction, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Violence, Suicide, Gun violence, Drug use, Death, and Child abuse