Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau

9 reviews

crizzle's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Cursing

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Antisemitism

Minor: Cancer

noragoudie's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

4.25

This book was a wonderful read! Set in the 1970's, this book tackled a lot of heavy issues in lighthearted/heartwarming ways. I admire the cast of characters that was created, and how each one felt lovable in different ways. One of the first found family stories I have thoroughly enjoyed.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction

Minor: Cancer

stepnic's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Infidelity

Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Classism, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Cancer, and Alcoholism

zoecht's review

emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

uh i loved it? yeah there is no plot but it’s so good! pure sweetness, i love the characters so much that i was proud of them (mary jane construction >) and even if it’s so sweet there is still a lot of important topics (addiction, drug, racism, family…) anyway i don’t even know why but it was so cool

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Infidelity, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and Drug use

Minor: Cancer

stressedoutreader's review

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Antisemitism, Drug use, Religious bigotry, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Misogyny, Body shaming, and Sexual content

Minor: Cancer

mommarex1221's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Antisemitism, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Alcohol, Cancer, Classism, Cursing, and Drug abuse

trulydevious's review

hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Racism, and Addiction

Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, and Sexual content

Minor: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Racial slurs

seawarrior's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. Reading it was much more rewarding than I had expected it to be. There's definitely some tense and dramatic moments, but they're cushioned with descriptions of genuine love and apology afterward. 

Primarily, this is a story about Mary Jane discovering what it means to grow into an individual and an adult. The most dramatic shift in her thinking is realizing that the perspectives and customs of her white, upper class, conservative mother aren't objectively 'right', and that she doesn't want to abide by most of them. Though she's surrounded by adults who are almost always too rigid or too fluid in their thoughts and behavior, she sticks to her values as she's learning them, and often serves as the most reasonable person in both her households.

This isn't a story about a girl who spirals into drugs and sex too young and is exploited by people providing them to her. Mary Jane's acts of rebellion are much more tame, and are mostly risky only because of her extremely conservative parents. The Cones, and Sheba and Jimmy, aren't perfect mentors or wholly responsible adults, but they embrace Mary Jane with respect and affection she hadn't even realized was normal in other people's homes. My favorite part of this book was reading of how the Cone household danced together, repeatedly and openly showed affection for each other, and spoke honestly about the troubles they were having. It was also a joy to read about Izzy and her exuberance towards everything. It's easy to understand how Mary Jane never wants to be apart from her new family, as messy as they sometimes are. I will definitely miss these characters myself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Sexual content

Moderate: Ableism, Alcohol, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Racism

nicola_farnworth's review

emotional hopeful inspiring slow-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

4.0

Started very slow and took a little getting into but I ended up really enjoyed this book.

I would have liked to see Mary Jane acting more like a 14 year old, fawning over boys, chatting with friends. I know she's supposed to be secluded at the start but we all know what 14 is like. She didn't seem to have any friends outside the twins that are mentioned but never seen. I also felt that the Cones were really taking advantage of MJ. Mrs Cone spends the summer with Sheba and doesn't seem to think of her infant child. Sheba, MJ, Izzy and Jimmy were brilliant characters I loved reading their interactions. Overall it was a lovely heart-warming coming of age story. I wish they could have done a family therapy session, like they did on the beach, with her parents, I think her mom and dad would have benefited from that. I love the way her mother accepted her in the end

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Racism, and Sexism

Minor: Cancer