Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

88 reviews

isabellamarg's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

The Berry Pickers is the story of Ruthie, a four year old Mi'kmaq girl who disappears on a berry picking farm in rural Maine while her family is there to work for the season. The book follows her, now named Norma, as well as the family she left behind (and the family that has taken her), specifically her brother Joe, in the aftermath of her disappearance. This book was a beautiful tapestry of familial pain and truly captured the human reality of grief, regret, death, forgiveness, guilt, and the bonds of sisters and brothers that span eternity. 

The Berry Pickers has been added to my list of favorite books. The characters were honest, relatable, and flawed. Norma, or Ruthie's, story and the consequences of her disappearance for her family were raw and hard. There were many strong, complex female characters which was great to read and the ending makes you think deeply about death and facing it. The last few chapters were beautiful and made me cry with pure joy and happiness. One of my main takeaways from this book is that while forgiveness is not easy or simple, it is necessary sometimes to continue to live and love. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Dementia, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Car accident

sytaylor's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Kidnapping, and Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Death of parent, and Alcohol

leslie_overbookedsocialworker's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Racism, Terminal illness, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

aposthuma's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book tells a beautiful and heartbreaking story of a Native girl kidnapped as a child who grows up with no knowledge of her heritage. I love the humanity and complexity of the main characters, and the ending was so sweet. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

jackiejae's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Beautiful picturesque language while still accessible — a quick enjoyable read despite the sad story. I look forward to reading more  by this author.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Dementia, Kidnapping, and Gaslighting

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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

This is the story of a family of Native American migrant workers who traveled to Maine each yeah to harvest blueberries. In the early 60’s the youngest daughter goes missing, they search for her for years, never giving up hope that they will find her. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

kimveach's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25

I chose to listen to this book as it was on a "great on audio list."  I've heard better narrations, but the story was great.  I think I'd have liked it even better in print.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

anniesbookpicks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Child death, Miscarriage, Racism, Terminal illness, Dementia, and Death of parent

10inspace's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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? No

4.0

Hell of a read. Heartache and happiness and everything human in between. 

Bummer that the author found endless ways to describe characters as fat without being relevant in any way whatsoever to the story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

raptorq's review

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse

Minor: Homophobia