Reviews tagging 'Child death'

We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride

27 reviews

lenabooks334's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-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: Bullying

Moderate: Child death, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

aformeracceleratedreader's review

challenging emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

I loved this just as much if not more than Me (Moth). I struggle with my mental health and felt this book so deeply, especially towards the end where I kept crying as I read. I needed this even with the author's note at the front stating that it could be triggering to the reader. Please read content/trigger warnings if you are someone who is/or has struggled with mental health. This can be a difficult and emotional read. 
The cover is stunning, the writing is beautiful, and I will definitely look out for whatever the author publishes next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Blood, Bullying, Child death, and Gaslighting

baileyes's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

3.75

Back and forth between beautiful and poetic and too much for me. Heavy handed but not trying to hide it. Intense imagery and a wandering though very intentional narrative exploring trauma.
The garden is Dantes inferno of sadness, depression, and despair

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Self harm, and Child death

mkachiri's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Bullying, Child death, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders

tahsintries's review

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Child death and Self harm

Minor: Bullying and Racism

nataliecherne's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

rebyreadsandwrites's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Child death, and Forced institutionalization

emjen16's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racism

drraytay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Medical content, Bullying, Grief, and Misogyny

patricktreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

We Are All Good at Smiling is a haunting story of two friends who lost their siblings and blame themselves for their losses. The work passes through the journey of their grief and fight to free themselves using fairytales and fantastical stories.

This was one of the first books I have read in a verse format, and while it was a little hard to get used to, once I did I loved it. The way the characters are written pulls us further into the journey without letting go. Also, as someone who has dealt with lose of friends, family, and more it was a journey that cause me to reflect on my own losses. 

I think and hope that this story can help readers understand and move forward from their grief, especially the young readers that this book is targeted for. It is an absolute recommend from me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Confinement, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness