Reviews tagging 'Death'

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

327 reviews

hedsek's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

Truly an amazing read. Extremely gripping and the descriptions of how things used to be are so realistic and slice of life that it becomes heartbreaking. The horror elements go really well with the emotional stuff.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, and Body horror

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Death, Vomit, Eating disorder, and Terminal illness

Minor: Death of parent, Cancer, Lesbophobia, Gore, Homophobia, Chronic illness, and Emotional abuse

Eye stuff

thecrimsoncorsair's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

3.5

I did enjoy that this book had a lesbian couple as the main couple, and that their lesbianism wasn't a main focus. They were just treated like any other couple would be. But damn, was this a struggle to get through. Even listening to it. It was just so dull. I'm genuinely convinced that the characters all died down in the sub, and what we're witnessing is the grief induced mental breakdown of Leah's spouse. That the pov of Leah down in the sub even is just a story that Miri has made up to soothe herself. It's all such a strange narrative. Magical realism, but also not. I don't know. I'm so confused lmao. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Body horror, Death of parent, Mental illness, Confinement, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders

leagllrd's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective fast-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

5.0

Absolutely phenomenal.

I had high expectations for this book given the very positive reviews, and it still managed to exceed them beyond belief. Armfield will have you feel heart-wrenching tenderness and bone-chilling anguish from one chapter to the next in so smooth a way that you're rocked by your emotions like the sea lung on top of the water. The characters manage to be real and tangible in situations so strange that any understanding we might have slips between our fingers like water. An incredibly impressive work, and I'm eager to read more from the author!

Song: Never Let Me Go by Florence and the Machine

PS: content warnings will include spoilers! scroll down at ur own risk x

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Body horror

CW ARE SPOILERS

Sorry if that shaped the ending for you, but i can understand that the mild body horror and discussions of illness and death can ruin books for some people so, here

beccaand's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Grief, Confinement, Terminal illness, Mental illness, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent and Suicide

Minor: Lesbophobia

theotwt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Body horror, and Death

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Suicide, Sexual content, Vomit, Death, Grief, Chronic illness, Confinement, Dementia, Dysphoria, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia

fatfatrat's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Death of parent, Grief, Body horror, and Death

Minor: Lesbophobia and Vomit

simplyabird's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

100% ready by audiobook if possible, the two narrators add so much to the experience. 
I loved the very descriptive and flowery language, and from the start Leah and Miri were so realistic and relatable that, even being aroace, I immediately fell in love with both of them and their relationship. I was never more interested in one of the POVs over the other, never felt like it was dragging or going to quick.
I was okay with the mystery not being really answered, because I knew and accepted it as an allegory and felt more involved with the relationship than the mystery, through it was still incredibly interesting. Personally, I think if you've ever dealt with grief and depression, you'll be a lot less bothered by not having gotten all of the answers to the mystery. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Death

toniboni's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, and Grief

saarahrust's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Death

Moderate: Body horror