Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller

100 reviews

jes312's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Medical trauma, Murder, Forced institutionalization, and Medical content

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Suicide

Minor: Infidelity

beanqueen_'s review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Classism, and Ableism

katefinman7's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm and Suicide attempt

schang's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful informative fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Racism, and Homophobia

madelineahjones's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

dananator13's review

challenging informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

strawberrymoonceci's review against another edition

informative reflective

4.5

This was an incredibly interesting book. She paints such a vivid picture in all the scenes, even the ones she didn't witness. I was very curious about the name of the book, I was also curious about the importance of this taxonomist. It was a gripping read, fascinating really. The audiobook version is wonderful, and I found the little nugget included at the end so heartwarming. This definitely made me want to read more book about natural history.

I absolutely did not expect the plot twists to include murder and eugenics! I think it's very interesting how Robert Starr Jordan went from allegedly covering up a murder, feeling wracked with guilt about it, to making eugenics his new purpose in life. What an absolute monster. The book is a masterclass in how to write a villain. In the beginning you hear mostly praise for him, there are definitely criticisms but you can see the author choosing to focus in his great capacity for perseverance, only for it to take a dark change, and for him to end up being responsible for the death, torture and mutilation (amongs other things) of tens of thousands in the US alone. Also, the US was the first country to make eugenics into national law. Which is so interesting considering the national narrative about it role in WW2. Not the least surprising though. I am surprised at how engaging this book was, considering I didn't like the author at all. Her writing is great, but she did not pass the vibe check. Also, fish dont exist as a category, that's the answer to the title. And Robert Starr Jordan can suck on that!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Torture, Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Classism, Murder, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Rape, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Infertility, and Medical trauma

Minor: Death and Child death

satashii's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Racism

Abelism, eugenics

lesbianelvira's review

adventurous challenging hopeful informative mysterious reflective fast-paced

5.0

i wish this book were longer. i love books like this that weave genres together, specifically science with history and memoir. learning about david starr jordan — who i knew nothing about previously — was an incredibly wild ride & i’m very moved by how i was taken on the journey lulu went through

: fascination, empathy, inspiration, disappointment, and horror.

i will say i was left wanting so much more of lulu miller herself. she was extremely relatable and compelling for me. i find myself wanting to see her work at NPR, other writings, and reach out to her. i wanted more from this book because i think it could’ve cracked me open the way heartbreak: a personal and scientific journey did. even still, i was crying at the library finishing it, and i’m absolutely going to see about getting my hands on the book she recommended: naming nature by carol yoon, stay alive: a history of suicide by jennifer hecht, and what a fish knows by jonathan balcombe. & i did immediately tell my students about how fish don’t exist, pairing it with the knowledge lulu references that i learned previously: (from paleopod) that bats are from ungulates, and (from a paleo tiktok) whales descending from deer. i love nature. so chaotic. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

musicalpopcorn's review

emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.25

I will be honest, I bought this book 100% because the title intrigued me. The book turned out to be incredibly engaging and interesting. I had little idea where it was headed, but I was along for the ride.

I’m also just straight up rattled. I did not think it would deliver on the title, but here I am rethinking my entire categorized worldview…which I suppose is the point.

Beautiful book!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Forced institutionalization