Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

4 reviews

tania_mybookishsecret's review

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, and Death

Moderate: Medical content and Vomit

Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, Body horror, and Child death

fictionaladventures's review

medium-paced

4.0

What a story! It was pretty heavy. Gives you lots to think about. The characters were far more complicated than I expected them to be when we first met them. I didn’t think Rhine and Gabriel had much chemistry, but then again the romance isn’t the point, and Rhine is well aware that they don’t really have the time or opportunity to explore whatever is between them, so I get that. I found this to be a thought-provoking read, very well written, and overall enjoyable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Chronic illness, Confinement, Grief, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

kanthereader's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? No

5.0

This book absolutely broke me.
I still think about it after a couple years of reading. Seriously, I cried over it for a good while. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping

Moderate: Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, and Medical content

Minor: Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent

ariep's review

dark emotional tense slow-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

3.0

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. I was really compelled by it, and I think the premise is really interesting, but I had a few issues with it. The first is the world building, specifically surrounding the circumstances with the virus, and why everyone dies at one specific age. I think it would have made more sense to make that an age range rather than one specific age for men and women respectively. I also felt like there was a lot of needless repetition of events and thoughts by the main character, and a lot of inconsistencies about the world and Rhine’s thoughts about age and having a short life span. I felt like the characters should have been fleshed out a bit more, but maybe all this will make sense in later books. I will say, I was really engaged as a reader and I thought the description and detail of setting was really well done. I also thought the author had some very neat and unique similes and metaphors throughout! I thought there were some very poetic moments throughout. I also really like the symbolism and reoccurring themes throughout the story that really shaped the mental state of Rhine and her situation. I should mention, I felt there were a lot of time jumps, and I felt like there was a lot more tell rather than show. I would have liked to see more character interaction and growth in order to show us how their relationships develop, but there’s a lot of telling and it’s hard to feel like it’s genuine. That being said, I still read the whole book and enjoyed it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and Gun violence