Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

7 reviews

aprillem's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

I enjoyed this book in the beginning; it was well written and I liked the overall tone. But the main character had absolutely no growth, no interests, no perspective beyond her misery. I relate to the congitive dissonance of having to go through the motions of life while witnessing endless daily tragedies, but there was no reflection beyond that. All we get from the main character is the sense that life is bleak and we have no control over any of it so what’s the point. 

None of the characters in the book were likeable, they literally all suck. The writing was good but it got a bit tedious and the black hole metaphor was very heavy handed. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Drug abuse, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Suicide

caroisreading's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

This book laid bare all the wounds of my own tech startup traumas. You could read this seriously, or with the levity of dark comedy that it's sold as. It's so exact in its descriptions, the desperate conversations, branded swag, agonizing all-hands, diversity metrics (lack thereof), the hostile undertones that erupt eventually. I felt massive anxiety and nausea reading this. 

Cassie is a marketing writer at Voyager, a user data startup promising ROI for its customers. She is far from home, not happy in San Francisco, barely affording rent and needing to buy outlet groceries despite being "senior" in a big tech job. Every day is a new nightmare, as she works endless hours and performs, to be told she's not performing. She relies on drugs, and a half-relationship with a chef, who admits he and his girlfriend are trying an open relationship. Throughout her life, she is followed by a black hole that grows and shrinks. She becomes infatuated with black hole research. 

Sarah Rose Etter is a talented writer, and doesn't hold back in her relentless descriptions of late-stage capitalism, have and have-nots, sexism, depression, the helplessness and bitterness of an entire generation trying to survive pandemics and a housing crisis.

I had a hard time sorting through the many metaphors being thrown at us -- fruit and seeds, black holes and space, fire and filth, bloody meat, singularity. On top of this, dictionary definitions marked each chapter, which felt oddly campy and a bit of a disservice to the quality of the writing. All of this made for a distracting read, when I really just wanted to sit in the heart of the rage and recollections of our disintegrating narrator. 

This is also a cast of horrible people that you'll need to be fine with hating. Even with Cassie, who endures verbal abuse at home and at work, you'll likely become frustrated, and belabored with the self pity displayed on each page. 

You should still give this a try if you're okay mentally with a lot of depressing and triggering content, have survived the woman-in-tech experience (weak laugh), and like trippy, unstable narrator reads. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Blood, Bullying, Infertility, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Abortion, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Excrement, Pandemic/Epidemic, Cursing, Drug use, Misogyny, and Addiction

virgcole398's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

If you’re struggling with your mental health or healing from narcissistic abuse, please don’t read this book. It just hit too close to home…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Suicide, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Police brutality, Toxic friendship, and Sexual content

hifrench's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Blood, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders

tajosima's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? No

5.0

Chapter 21: I knew I had to buy this book.
The way I feel about this book is the way I felt about The Bell Jar when I read it when I was younger. Now I’m older and I have Ripe to describe how i feel

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic, Excrement, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Blood, Abortion, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Infertility, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Racism

dixiecarroll's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

that ending had me !!! Okay so this is not going to be for everyone, but after a few years navigating Goodreads I’ve figured out that books this polarizing on here always end up being my favorites. Cassie works at a toxic start up in Silicon Valley and is miserable (relatable) and she’s followed around by a black hole, which is the physical manifestation of her depression (my mom said this is also very relatable). If you work in corporate America, especially for a start up this is going to be upsetting for you, but I ate it up. Please mind there are a ton of triggers - I’m tagging them on StoryGraph. I recommended it at work!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Suicide

absolute_bookery's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

Loved this! A very sharp and witty reflection on the 'corporate hustle'. Sad to read but so relatable! Would recommend?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Bullying, Drug use, and Suicide