Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

595 reviews

thebookmaggot's review against another edition

4.5

emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death

arianelaxo's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The first third sets the stage. Beartown is a hockey town, and we learn what that looks like and feels like. Way more characters are introdu ed than I thought I could keep straight in my head (but did somehow anyway). 

The second third: a series of events that changes the direction entirely.

The third third: I shake my head, cry, yell at the characters - at a mob who are written so well, so realistically, I feel despair for our world. 

The final pages: hope for the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual harassment

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Pregnancy

lindsayamundson's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault

Moderate: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts

macliffe's review against another edition

3.5

challenging emotional sad slow-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

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The whole time reading Beartown I was in complete awe of Fredrick Backman’s ability to tap into the human experience. He can say things a in such a poignant way because he says the things we know we shouldn’t think, that are too blunt or too irrational to even admit to ourselves. It’s this depth and this consistency of quality that has me looking for my next Backman book even as I know I will not continue with this series. 

This book was quite the struggle. It thumps on your chest over and over again messages like, “no one can be trusted” “you will always be afraid of the dark” and “all men are evil”. Which makes perfect sense for a book about rape. There were other things like the locker room talk that were hard to wade through at times. I am glad for this realistic treatment, but it was very crude and/or heavy.

I think this is an important book. I would recommend it to certain people. I would not read it again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Alcohol, Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting

Minor: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Torture, Blood, Toxic friendship

molliestevens's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence

booksbydano's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts

jo_d's review against another edition

3.0

dark sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Death of parent

shiradfrankel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

tell_them_stories's review against another edition

4.75

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Stalking, Death of parent, Alcohol, Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Islamophobia, Medical content, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail

sadie_g's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This is an absolutely devastating read. The story is about the culture of silence in small towns and how this can affect everything in a community after a tragedy. 

Backman is truly an amazing writer. The way he strings words together is so beautiful, and the simplest sentences hit me the hardest. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence