Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Stay with Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

18 reviews

jazlem's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative 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

5.0

My first 5 star Read of 2024! This book will really stay with me for a long time (excuse the pun!) The characters had so much depth to them and the plot kept me guessing throughout, I did not expect the ending or any of the twists. It was beautifully written and kept me hooked throughout. It of course deals with some heavy themes of child loss, familial abuse and political turbulence in the landscape of 1980s Nigeria but it had a hopeful ending and I recommend everyone to read this!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Infertility, Death of parent, Medical content, Child death, Gun violence, and Infidelity

kellyofcali's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

A very tough story - not for those who cannot deal with a series of crushing blows - but well written and I did feel it paints a picture of a certain place and experience. I don't know if I can say I enjoyed it, per se, given the heaviness, but I am glad I read it. I will say it is "pitched" mush differently than it reads - it's more about being in a marriage, relationships, and being a parent than about a second wife. I also found it ended a bit suddenly for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Grief, Child death, Dysphoria, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Infertility, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Abandonment, and Physical abuse

Minor: War

mikebond's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Meraviglioso romanzo sul legame tra genitori e figli che nemmeno le tragedie della vita possono rompere completamente.
Bella  'impostazione con due voci narranti che si alternano e raccontano i fatti dalla propria prospettiva.
Un romanzo che fa piangere, arrabbiarsi, ma anche sperare. Lo consiglio!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Medical content, and Grief

Moderate: Infidelity and Pregnancy

Minor: Police brutality, Violence, and Sexual content

georgie_mb's review against another edition

emotional sad 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

An easy 5 stars. 

Heartbreaking and moving, this had me routing for all the characters. The struggle of Yejide trying to conceive soon lifts back the curtain of the lies and deceit that makes up her household. There are so many twists and turns that had me gasping out loud, and if this hadn’t been part of a readathon I would have read this quicker than I did!

I also loved the settings, shifting from Nigeria in the 1980’s to the modern day, and discovering the cultural and historical references along the way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Gun violence, Child death, Chronic illness, Medical content, Death, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Minor: Excrement

cerilouisereads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Ableism, Pregnancy, and Medical content

Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content

davidbythebay's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Absolutely brilliant! A lovely and devastating book that looks at a marriage from the 1980s through 2008, all with the background of Nigeria and its political turmoil. 

I first heard about this back in 2017 on NPR. I bought the book right before the pandemic started in 2020. And I finally read it now in September 2022. I do not know why I waited. If the discussion on NPR and the description wasn't enough, Margaret Atwood's Twitter review ("Scorching, gripping, ultimately lovely.") Should have really pushed this book forward for me as Atwood is an all-time favorite author of mine. But somehow I kept putting this off. 

First, let me say that it did take me a minute to get into the swing of things. By that I mean that sometimes Nigerian customs and phrases are used that usually have context clues or translations around where they are, but as I am fascinated by culture and language I often was paused by. Also, and more importantly, the story does have a dual POV which is never explicitly labeled at the start of a chapter. It was easy to pick up within the first paragraph or sentence who was talking, but it did throw me off a bit at first. 

The dual timeline (east Part begins in 2008 before going back in time to the 1980s and 90s) was easy to discern. It was very much a few chapters in 2008 with the majority of the book being a linear story of Akin and Yejide's marriage. What they went through was devastating and I won't go into it much here, but know that if you are sensitive to some topics, be warned.

Those "gripes" being laid out now, the whole book from start to finish was a captivating journey that really did sing off the page. It was lyrical and completely immersive. I learned a lot about Nigerian customs and traditions, as well as some history. This story, though, could really have been set anywhere at anytime. It is a universal story of marriage. The setting and timeperiod, however, added a whole other layer to the work and really was absolutely beautiful. Gorgeous prose sang off the page and left haunting images. 

The ending felt completely right and full. Though Part 4 is short, the book has led to this moment and you can feel it. There is a hope and a future that is shadowy and unseen, but there is a great feeling at the end that left me feeling elated by the book. 

Do not hesitate like I did... read this now! I see the author has a new novel coming out early next year. My plan is to not wait on that as I did this one. A new classic to be sure and a brilliant debut novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Death, Abandonment, Child death, Chronic illness, Grief, Medical content, and Murder

sarahjeanbee's review

challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, and Medical content

disquiet's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Infidelity, and Infertility

Moderate: Sexual content and Medical content

Minor: Death of parent

n_li_re's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Sexism, Infertility, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, War, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Murder, Vomit, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Mental illness

bandysbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

This book went in way different directions than I was expecting. It is a very dark story and unbearably sad. I found myself viscerally frustrated at several points while reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Infertility, Infidelity, and Pregnancy