Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

40 reviews

remytherat's review

reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

I really loved Olga's character arc; by the end of the book I was cheering for a character that had been pretty unloveable at the start. Dick was also a great villain. Smarmy, guileless and full of all the arrogance that comes with a lifetime of privilege, he was as irritating as you'd expect. While he wasn't at all loveable, that wasn't the point of him; and anyway, there were enough characters who I loved right away to make up for it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Homophobia, Medical content, and Rape

torturedreadersdept's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Infertility, Cursing, Grief, Homophobia, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abortion

mschmidt's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Death of parent, Classism, Colonisation, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault and Racism

Minor: Abortion, Drug use, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Grief, Infertility, Outing, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship

bootsmom3's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective 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

Graphic: Abandonment, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Cursing

Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, War, Misogyny, Racism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Outing

Minor: Abortion, Deportation, and Homophobia

avvai's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Addiction, Abandonment, Rape, Sexism, Racism, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

seawarrior's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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

4.0

This was a highly engaging book that I enjoyed reading, despite the fact that it was long and the characters often behaved in ways that were protective to the point of destructive. I felt that Gonzalez did a wonderful job of illustrating how family conflicts extend outwards and create even more troubles in the wider world. Yet, she ensured each character was written with enough tact that the messages in this book rarely came off as preachy. While the book did feel somewhat melodramatic at times, the reader is prepared with understanding for why the situations the characters are in have become so severe. I would be wary about recommending this book to others since some of the subject matter is distressing. However, I don't regret reading it myself or feeling invested in the characters' lives.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Rape, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

rcssndra's review against another edition

emotional 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

this book is so good! i couldn’t put it down. the character arcs are wonderful and it’s a really powerful story. one of the best books i’ve read this year!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction and Grief

Minor: Abortion and Abandonment

kdailyreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Homophobia, Rape, Xenophobia, Racism, Suicide, Alcohol, Violence, Terminal illness, Colonisation, Drug abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Cursing, Infidelity, and Classism

Minor: Abortion, Infertility, Racial slurs, and Pregnancy

marthaiselin's review

emotional funny informative inspiring reflective relaxing 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Addiction, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Grief, Racism, Colonisation, Suicide, Sexism, Rape, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, Infertility, and Alcoholism

bandysbooks's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

4.25

This is a story that reflects on a family,  politics, and culture. Olga is struggling with relationships, abandonment issues, and figuring out her direction in life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Grief, Outing, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship