Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Violets by Kyung-sook Shin

12 reviews

sakisreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.5

I absolutely adored ‘Please Look After Mother’, so I had high hopes for this book!

Kyung Sook-shin’s books always being translated by Anton Hur makes me feel so cosy. I loved her note at the end as well, saying how Hur had cried reading the book 🥹 

This definitely was not Shin’s best book; I still have a soft spot for ‘Please Look After Mother’. But I did still enjoy it and enjoyed some of the emotions I sat with during San’s growth. Her tears and her trauma felt very intimate 😳

I would still recommend reading to anyone who’s a fan of Shin’s stories ✨ 3.5 out of 5 stars for me, thank you!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Alcoholism, Grief, Mental illness, and Violence

erindb's review against another edition

reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Stalking, Rape, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail

katialena's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Sexual violence

Minor: Kidnapping, Rape, Blood, and Self harm

Major character death? Ambiguous.

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

1.75

i dont think violets is for me. as a whole, the story and themes of shin's book are v much valid: a tale of a young woman stumbling thru city life, working at a flower shop while still beholden to her past trauma and dealing w/ shitty men.

i think the use of flowers and planting as a metaphor and stylistic tool in the novel's interesting and has great potential, however in its current form it unfortunately skewers the story's narrative form. shin's execution renders the book a meandering slog to soldier thru esp in the beginning, one whose focus shifts between the flowers and san's mental state, and when all's said and done, that doesnt make for an enjoyable reading experience for me, despite how compelling it can be at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Infidelity and Terminal illness

hannah_cogo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Police brutality, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Violence, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Rape

geeters14's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Self harm

Moderate: Abandonment, Mental illness, and Sexual harassment

jazhandz's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual assault

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

novantithesis's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Misogyny, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

wordsofclover's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Sexual assault

lesenilpferd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Sexual assault, and Mental illness