Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

10 reviews

prairieraven's review

dark emotional informative 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

beebowbabe's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Slavery

Moderate: Addiction, Racism, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Death of parent

cpardub's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

I listened to Hester as an audiobook and HIGHLY RECOMMEND. It was such a fun listen. I really enjoyed this book and have been recommending it to others all week since finishing it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Slavery, Xenophobia, and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content and Forced institutionalization

daydaybookbay's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I rated this book a 9 out of 10. I really enjoyed the blast to the past, reminding me of The Scarlet Letter and the Salem Witch Trials. Having the history woven into the fictional storyline makes it feel more real. It is clear so much research was put into the writing of this story.

The way Isobel's Synesthesia was written really captured me. This beautiful visual that she learns to embrace privately. With such an experience many people today can not fully understand, it hurts to know Isobel was practically afraid of herself.

My favorite parts to read were the scenes Isobel was sewing, All the details of the dresses and clothing and the descriptions of embroidery in the gloves created the images in my mind. I love it. So much description went into it, but it felt light like music.

While we watch Isobel grow, we see the women supporting women every step of the way. Nell and Mercy take different approaches to help Isobel, but both women warm my heart.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and War

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed this fictionalized version of the writing of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Even without the ties to the classic book, it was a wonderful historical novel set in Salem in the 1600s.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual content

spineofthesaurus's review

adventurous dark emotional

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Incest, Excrement, Vomit, and Medical content

apollo222's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Racism, Slavery, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Forced institutionalization

rachelwhicker06's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, and Classism

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Abortion

bookswithbront's review

emotional 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

4.0

This book tried to do a few too many things and didn’t develop some of its ideas as fully as I’d like. But I still really enjoyed my time with the story. And I have a feeling that Isobel’s colors and the way the women came together to help each other survive are going to stick with me for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Trafficking, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Classism

Minor: Miscarriage and Forced institutionalization

erynlasbelin's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail