Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

108 reviews

kathleencoughlin's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

A bit close for comfort at the moment. I liked the story overall, but I'm a bit tired of

reading queer love interests die.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Misogyny, and Child abuse

Minor: War, Suicide, Pedophilia, and Excrement

maddiet425's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Medical content, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Vomit, and War

Minor: Misogyny

francestea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense 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? No

5.0

Wow! Even though this book takes place over just three days it’s anything but slow paced. Like Room and The Wonder, the cast of characters is small and somewhat trapped by their circumstances. If you liked her other books then this one holds up. I’d also recommend this if you enjoyed the Call the Midwife series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, and War

Minor: Abortion, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Trafficking

emmyinthestacks's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Confinement, and Terminal illness

Minor: War

catherinebergeron34's review against another edition

challenging informative tense fast-paced

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

5.0

One of the best books I read this year. It was wholesome and yet completely heartbreaking. The story is tolc over the course of 3 days : it is unpredictable and fast-paced. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Grief, Medical content, and Miscarriage

brogan7's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative lighthearted tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

This book starts off like a lightning bolt and you just want to follow it through.  Pandemic, births, deaths, what could be more compelling?
Intelligent, fast paced, steeped in a time and place...it has everything.
But then...I felt Donoghue got ahead of herself.  She started rushing headlong.  She made executive plot decisions that weren't in rhythm with her characters.  I didn't necessarily believe plot elements that were key...and when you stop believing, well, the story frays.
Julia Power's innocence seemed contrived, to me: for such an intensely competent woman to suddenly be portrayed as blind to women's common problems (Mary O'Rahilly's abusive husband)?  I didn't buy that for a second.
I wanted the story to stay strong and be somehow insightful as to the human condition, and instead I felt like it drifted into pure entertainment, "what happened next?" but without teaching us anything significant...which I thought was rather strange, given its strong start pointing in that direction.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Medical content

margaretrose's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Pregnancy, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Abandonment and Confinement

Minor: Domestic abuse

childbirth, maternal death

libraryghost's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad 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? No

4.75

Broke my "No Pandemic Books During a Pandemic" rule but it was worth it.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Child death, Death, Pregnancy, and Blood

Moderate: Child abuse, Religious bigotry, War, and Grief

Minor: Domestic abuse and Physical abuse

illiterateliz's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I bought this book yesterday evening, an impulsive buy but one I dont regret, and I finished this morning. I simply couldn't put the book down even when it made me cry! I usually don't read this kind of book but it bewitched me. The characters felt so real, their pain, their laughter, everything! I felt like I could see them in front of me as real human beings. Even minor characters like Tim (my heart ached for him). The story was beautiful and their discussions about life even more so. This book however can be quite graphic so I'd suggest that only those who think they can take graphic depictions of birth/death, mentions of abuse/suicide/sexual abuse etc read it. 

When I picked up this book I never imagine it would have the aspect or romance and let alone queer romance and honestly I was so happy it did! I almost cried when I realized how Julia felt about the beloved red head, I only wish they had more time even if it were a day! The scene of the roof made me so happy that I couldn't stop smiling! I just wish there was more this story, a few more pages and maybe a different ending for Bridie. Even though I was disappointed I understood it 100%. 

The only problem I had was with the dialogue and how it didnt really have any classic indication that it was dialogue (ex "hey" -hey etc) I'm bilingual so it made it difficult for me to read and I'm sure it would difficult for others as well. 

Bonus points: The book cover is absolutely STUNNING and the title just makes me cry now that I understand it with the context of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content

cailinrua's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

oh my god made me cry real tears

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Death

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault