Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

4 reviews

juliej0715's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

I loved this book. It was a slow start for me, but I also read it in super small chunks at first so it was hard to keep people straight. About 1/3 in, it really picked up and I couldn't stop thinking about it and reading it. It's so sad yet perpetually full of hope and love and friendship and caring, and reflecting on what's important in life. It was so good I want to read it again. I wish there were more books exactly like this one. I also loved it being set in boystown (now northalsted) Chicago and knowing all the places they were going around Lakeview and the city. Just so good overall.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Police brutality, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Toxic relationship, Pandemic/Epidemic, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Violence, and Medical content

addie's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Homophobia, Death, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Medical content

Moderate: Drug use and Infidelity

Minor: Addiction, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Racism

zosiablue's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is how I was able to finally pinpoint that I feel grief in my chest and stomach. I haven't read anything this gutting in a long, long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Medical content, Death, Terminal illness, and Grief

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Infidelity, and Addiction

samarakroeger's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

it took me a minute to become ensconced in the story and then I couldn't put it down.  I stayed up until 2 AM crocheting and listening to this audiobook get sadder and sadder and before I knew it, the book was over.  this is one I need to sit with for a bit, but color me impressed.

if you liked Still Life by Sarah Winman, you'll love this.  very similar books in many ways (with different settings and plots, obviously).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Medical content, Police brutality, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide