Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

49 reviews

raptorq's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Body horror, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, and Death

looseleafellie's review against another edition

mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

When marine biologist Leah comes home after being lost on a submarine research mission for six months, her wife Miri wonders what happened to her. But as Leah starts acting stranger and stranger, Miri wonders whether Leah is really back to stay at all.

This was a pretty short book with super lyrical prose that meant I could savor every word without it taking me forever to get through. I’m learning that I love short books with beautiful writing! I also love science, so the scientific facts about the ocean sprinkled through were super fun to read.

The mystery of what’s going to happen to Leah kept me waiting for answers, but it was never fully explained by the end — and surprisingly, I didn’t really mind. The point wasn’t why or how; the point was the what. I’m still mulling over the themes of love, loss, and the untameable power of nature, and I think I’ll be mulling for a long time.

Overall, if you’re looking for something creepy, speculative, romantic, and bittersweet — especially as a short book you can read in a day or a weekend — I highly recommend this one!

Spice level: Non-graphic.

CWs: Grief, body horror, death of a parent, dementia, suicide, mentions of homophobia.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Body horror

Moderate: Dementia, Suicide, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

annact's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Body horror, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, Lesbophobia, and Dementia

amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Dementia, Death, Dysphoria, and Grief

mold_munchr's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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 wasn't a gothic horror novel in the traditional sense of the word, but rather a novel about slow inevitable loss and self-destruction. The horror aspect of it was a vessel for the emotions which it held - it's not really about what's at the bottom of the sea, is it? And I guess maybe that's what ultimately makes it a gothic horror after all.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Dementia, and Grief

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Blood, Medical content, Sexual content, and Medical trauma

mmirjamm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Confinement

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Suicide, Mental illness, Dementia, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia

starlit_pathways's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Dementia, Confinement, Death, and Body horror

Moderate: Lesbophobia and Homophobia

aseel_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

I liked the writing style of this and I really enjoyed the first of the book, on those alone, I would have given it a 4 star rating but then the plot didn't really develop and I didn't really understand why the submarine stayed down for so long...? We got a half answer and I wish that was done better. I also don't really understand what we were suppose to get from this book???

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Grief, Body horror, Confinement, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Death, and Medical content

natbrooke94's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Dementia, Body horror, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content and Lesbophobia

smolren'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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Dementia, Death, and Suicide

Minor: Lesbophobia, Chronic illness, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders