Reviews with content warning for Suicide attempt - Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life

I genuinely have no words for much this impacted me. It is truly beautifully and completely done.

My only warning would be to look at any trigger warnings if that's something that would impact you. I personally went in blind, not even knowing what it was about, and did not realize how dark things would be. Vital to talk about, but still potentially triggering nonetheless.

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newandhorrible's review

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adventurous challenging funny informative medium-paced

5.0

I suggested this book to my book club after another friend said that HER book club read it and really liked it. It was short (5ish hours on audio), and nobody had any glaring objections, so we chose it.

And let me tell you. I had NO IDEA what I had gotten us into.

This book defies every genre you try and put it in.

Part biography, part taxonomy textbook, part memoir, part coming-out story, part history-of-eugenics-and-its-ramifications, part MURDER MYSTERY???

I enjoyed it SO MUCH, way more than I thought I would based on the description. I'm so thankful my friend recommended it, and I will definitely be looking to her for more recommendations.

She lost me a little bit with justification of "fish don't exist". I'm not quite ready to give up the fish yet, but maybe someday.

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pipn_t's review against another edition

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medium-paced

3.0

This was an alright book that I despised deeply when it became clear it was a biography and not a science book. I guess it’s a good example of why you shouldn’t read books based on a cool title. Did not enjoy nor come to care about the man being biographies at all. The title subject of the book was tacked on at the end. Didn’t appreciate that the author was trying to convert me to her nihilistic worldview, if I’m using the right word. Content warning for extended discussion of eugenics.

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_sofiee_'s review

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challenging emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

A truly great book, part biography part memoir and part just really interesting science. I was enthralled the entire time and found myself tearing up in the last few pages. A very powerful read.

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milliemudd's review against another edition

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dark informative medium-paced

2.75

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heychickadee's review

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3.75

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jes312's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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