Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander

28 reviews

_pia's review against another edition

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I hope everyone has a Celest, Sadie and Tom in their lifes!

I really really liked this book. Could have been a tiny bit shorter but the pacing and everything was still great. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Death of parent

kell_xavi's review against another edition

dark hopeful sad medium-paced

3.5

This is a book full of acceptance and empathy for people dealing with trauma, neglect, abuse, and mental disorders. It follows Meredith, a kind-hearted, reserved woman who suffers from panic attacks and severe depressive episodes when she attempts to leave her house. She has been home for over three years, with a careful routine, an online job, an orange cat, and many indoor hobbies to keep her company. In this novel, Meredith tries to grow human connections, to cope with her personal history—told through flashback memories every few chapters—and to go outside.

The writing reminded me Nina LaCour, with its gentle movement through memory and its aftermath. Though Watch Over Me and We Are Okay, the most similar novels to this one, are both centred around characters 20+ years younger than Alexander’s protagonist, the voices had commonalities: a sense of small wonders, isolation, low self-esteem and a lot of self-blame, kindness and brokenness and pride in small achievements. Part of this is how the titular character here is treated, but the youthful is also a little odd, and I sometimes forgot she had 40 years of life within her.

A couple parts come together too easily, and others are belaboured, which lessens my overall rating. Fiona is a tangled character with a complex relationship to her sister, so it’s inevitably messy , but I think the depiction could’ve been stronger. And I don’t think either trendy pop version of the cover fits the book well! I did enjoy Meredith and her support network though. I liked the jigsaw puzzles and baking, the lack of judgment on age or any sort of expected landmark; I feel that depression and its most difficult effects are represented well in these pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault

Minor: Fatphobia

revengesrose's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Infidelity, Alcohol, Cancer, and Death of parent

bookclubbitches's review against another edition

4.0

Ohhhhhhhh Meredith.

I really enjoyed getting to know her and the dual timeline of past and present. I thought she was very well rounded for hiding away in her house for so long and her story was very interesting.

The characters felt very complete, I thought every character was quite tangible and believable. 

I was so happy she made a new friend, left her house, reconnected with her sister, that her mom died (lol bye bitch) and that she finally made a police report about what happened all those years ago. 

I was truly not expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm and Rape

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Suicide attempt, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, and Suicide

elliethecatlover's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring relaxing slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse

theonlybaillie's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.5

This book, while such a good read, is also a super hard read. I recommend to only read this book in a good headspace, because it is very heavy and definitely not for everyone.

But it was for me amazingly. There are elements of hope and light in the darkness, such as found family and supportive friends. There is also very deep complex trauma and family relationships in this book, and the entirety of the effects and messy healing process are not concealed or tied in a pretty bow. We get the real, raw deal in this book. Not a lighthearted read, but a real read with a lot of depth.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Grief, Miscarriage, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Death of parent, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Violence, Death, Cancer, and Abandonment

mackenziebauman's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Confinement, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Domestic abuse

_bailey_reads_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

This book impressed me with its ability to get mental illness right. I’ve read so many books about mentally I’ll characters who go to therapy and i always feel like they never are able to encapsulate the true experience. 

Also I can tell the author of this book did their research on what a therapist is actually like or has actually been to therapy themselves. It was refreshing to read a book where the therapist actually gave the character sound advice and there was an actual relationship and bond formed between therapist and client. 

The overall story was well written, Meredith is a complicated character and who is deeply struggling. I found myself really relating to her. I think she’s a character that would be difficult for people to relate to if they have little to no experience with severe anxiety or depression. I was rooting for her from beginning to end. Her journey is not an easy one and as the story unfolds more and more is revealed about Meredith and why she is the way she is. 

I really recommend this to anyone suffering from severe anxiety or depression. Anyone who feels hopeless and like life is not going to get better. This book made me feel less alone and gave me some hope that I will get through the difficult times!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Miscarriage, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Self harm, Pregnancy, Grief, and Body horror

king_rune's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Child abuse

julianh's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts