Reviews tagging 'Schizophrenia/Psychosis '

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

35 reviews

taylormccoy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Cursing, Medical content, Self harm, and Sexual harassment

gh2mi's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective sad 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

While not my favorite book I've read, the quality of writing and the story are superb. I loved this SO much. It was constantly challenging, equally as funny, and thus is ABSOLUTELY worth reading (except for young children). With such strong characters, still-impactful stances on societal wrongdoings and failures, and especially strong symbols and fascinating biblical allusions, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is just as relevant now as when it released 60 years ago.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Racial slurs, and Sexual content

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, and Gaslighting

Minor: Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

lizardddd's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deportation, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Racism, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Medical content, Death of parent, Ableism, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Confinement, Self harm, and Body horror

therat8's review against another edition

dark reflective tense 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, and Suicide

Minor: Alcoholism, War, and Adult/minor relationship

reading_moth's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Torture

Moderate: Suicide and Racial slurs

angelofthetardis's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

2.0

I was inspired to add this book to my TBR pile pretty much exactly a year ago, after watching the Netflix drama 'Ratched'. I enjoyed the series, but felt like I was missing something as I hadn't read the source material. Unfortunately, I'm still none the wiser.

I don't know what it is with me and books that are labelled 'classics', but I don't think I've found one yet that I've truly enjoyed. This was no exception - I just couldn't immerse myself in the story or even pick out moments of clarity that stuck with me. While I understand that this is written from the point of view of a mentally ill person confined to a hospital ward, and by choosing this narrator the author has allowed the reader to experience the 'fog' of confusion and twisted logic experienced daily by the patients, it's rambling relaying of events left me more lost than confused. I followed the general plot, but had no inclination to take more care with my reading to study the text and events in depth.

From a modern perspective, the methods outlined in the story are clearly not the right way to treat mental illness. But then I queried whether several of the characters illnesses were all that acute anyway. Yes, some people (the narrator included) clearly did have delusions or other issues that may require in-patient care, but there seemed so little character building on much of the supporting cast that it felt like they were there purely to pad out the cast list. 

I guess the author's main aim was to try and make the reader consider whether McMurphy's illness was feigned or genuine. He reminds me a little of Campbell Bain in 'Takin' Over The Asylum' (although I'm sure in reality the latter was in some way influenced by the former); a manic depressive who, after a moment of inspiration, starts to subvert the normal order of things within his environment. But this right here sums up how hard I found the book to relate to; if I'm drawing parallels with the works of David Tennant (rather than just picturing him as my leading man), then you know my mind has wandered to a better place!

I also can't understand where this reputation for Nurse Ratched being one of literature's great villains has come from. To me, she seems like a no-nonsense, firm but fair person who is doing her best to do what must be an incredibly difficult job without letting it affect her, and doing what she thinks is best for her patients based in the knowledge of the time. Yes, it's clear that McMurphy gets under her skin and she does start to become a little vindictive about punishing him for his transgressions, but I just can't equate that with the totally twisted person I had been expecting going into this. I can only suspect that it's because the story is written through the male gaze at a time when women in positions of authority were rare and dangerous creatures...

Not what I was expecting or hoping for, and quite underwhelmed. Never mind. I tried.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Racism, Mental illness, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Ableism, Cursing, Murder, Suicide, Drug use, Misogyny, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Infidelity, and Panic attacks/disorders

sunflowerhour's review against another edition

challenging mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Medical content

Moderate: Outing, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual harassment, Torture, Terminal illness, and Sexual violence

swimfast724's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

Another book I read in high school. I didn't exactly enjoy it, but I didn't dislike it either

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicide, Body shaming, Bullying, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt

redraven01's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Cursing

Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

isirla's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This book. This book made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me so angry. And it made me feel peaceful at times. Some parts didn't age well. But I could see past it. After seeing the movie starring a young Jack Nicholson at least three times, I knew I needed the experience the book could bring. And it didn't disappoint!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Suicide, Confinement, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Misogyny, Drug use, Racism, Death, Dementia, and Incest