Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

28 reviews

ksheaffs's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Murder, and Terminal illness

suzyh5317's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Murder, and Suicide

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Physical abuse

ashleynewman's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Audio version was entertaining with the podcast element. Extremely dark/heavy subject matter but I never guessed the ending, which is rare and a big plus. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Child death, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, and Suicide

Minor: Terminal illness

drraytay's review

challenging dark emotional sad

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Child death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Car accident and Alcohol

rachelsbookishlife's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Torture, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Child abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Violence

maggies's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Listening to the audiobook was interesting because it included "produced" episodes of the Guilty or Not Guilty podcast produced throughout the story. Not sure that was a good addition to the book, though...I didn't like the podcast and it soured my view of Rachel. The dual crimes years apart trope was executed well enough, with a suitable twist to be enjoyable, but it wasn't the most elegant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Car accident, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Bullying, Death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Panic attacks/disorders

rebeccahensley's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, and Violence

elliesberrie's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Terminal illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Car accident, Cancer, and Bullying

porchrailreads's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I wanted to finish #TheNightSwim in August so September could be entirely devoted to Science Fiction and finding that one book that really stands out in the genre. Alas, things did not go according to plan. Work got in the way.
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A little later than expected, but completed nonetheless.
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The Night Swim by #MeganGoldin is almost two stories in one. On the one hand, we have Rachel, an investigative reporter and host of a true crime podcast, covering a sexual abuse case in the coastal North Carolinian town of Neapolis. On the other, we have Hannah, still mourning the death of  her older sister nearly a quarter of a century later, seeking to find justice. Interspersed is Rachel’s podcast coverage of the trial.
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In verbose and occasionally grandiose prose we learn the events of two seemingly unrelated but interconnected crimes. While the writing was a bit much, the message was incredibly profound and important. Conversations of sexual assault are difficult to have and there are ridiculous shades of gray. Victims bear the burden of proof and endure tremendous ridicule and trauma when coming forward. Society as a whole blames the victim for the crime while seldom confronting the perpetrator. It’s always “she should have…” instead of “he shouldn’t have…”
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I have three gripes with this book. The first I’ve already alluded to. I wasn’t a fan of the writing style. It was too much in parts while simultaneously not being enough of what matters.
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Second, the cat and mouse game between Hannah and Rachel was unnecessary and detracted from Hannah’s story. Also, we never fully get resolution over the fact that Hannah straight up stalked Rachel for weeks.
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Lastly, Goldin painstakingly tries to assert that Rachel will be unbiased in her reporting and coverage of the trial but the reality is she’s anything but. The excerpts of the podcast included in the book are entirely biased and paint the defendant as guilty prior to the reading of the verdict. Rachel is no Sarah Koening and ‘Guilty or Not Guilty’ is no ‘Serial.’
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All in all, it’s a decent read though it has several triggers: rape, sexual assault, and the legal distinction between the two; abuse; neglect; death and dying; terminal illness; underaged drinking; trauma.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Child abuse

rachelibrarian's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness