Reviews tagging 'Grief'

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

35 reviews

mika_the_librarian's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

manta_moony's review against another edition

emotional sad tense 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? Yes

4.25

Really good story, could be a bit repetitive at times. The male characters had this annoying trait of of talking about women a bit weirdly but it’s easy to look past it. The main protagonist was very likeable and the multiple perspectives was done really well

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, Child death, Cancer, Death, and Grief

parmnoodles's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

This was a very intriguing read. The different characters really drew me in and as always, I loved the multiple point of views. The ending is what is holding me back. I was feeling a solid 4⭐️ throughout my read, but I’m caught up on how the story went in the last few pages. I know that the movie changes the ending so I wanna watch that and see how I feel. I haven’t read a book like this in a long time, it reminded me of how I felt when I read Looking For Alaska for the first time in middle school. I cannot justify why lol. For now I’m going to drop to a 3.75 but I can see myself changing this as time goes on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

slaywithsteph's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

I knew I was gonna cry, and I did, and my heart is broken.

If you liked the movie, you’ll like this, too. The movie cut out a lot about the characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Death, Child death, Cancer, Medical content, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Grief, and Drug use

Minor: Alcoholism

annieb26's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Cancer, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Medical content

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Grief

aploinard's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness and Cancer

Moderate: Child death and Grief

hannah_beth_charles's review against another edition

hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

I found myself skipping paragraphs because some of the metaphors were so boring and unnecessary that I found it was a waste of time. I also hated Picoult's writing style and the way she made the men's POVs full of vulgar language or shallow thoughts, like "boys will be boys".

I think that Anna's death was Jesse's punishment for starting fires and putting other's lives at risk. It's not fair for him to just be let off without punishment. The ending was quite surprising but and almost lazy. There's no way that Anna would have an unstrained relationship with her parents after she tried to sue them, and Kate's death would be blamed on Anna. Anna needed to die for the story to conclude. Kate becoming a ballet teacher is unrealistic and I know it was her dream, but she hadn't done ballet before, and ballet isn't a sport you can just do. It takes years of training.  

I couldn't care less Campbell and Julia's relationship. They're both toxic and Julia is desperate to be different. Julias losing her virginity on a gravestone was just odd.

I hated that throughout the novel, Sara was trying to be redeemed as a good mother or at least trying her best in a complicated situation. She had Anna just to save Kate. She probably wouldn't have had Anna if Kate wasn't sick. What irked me most was at the end when she said that she would send her one child in a fire to save the other child and she was willing to risk losing them both. That is so selfish because Sara sacrificing their lives. That's not fair and is plain wrong. She is not put in any danger.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol and Addiction

madilikestoread's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

The ending was very unexpected! I cried multiple times, especially near the end of the novel. I loved that there’s multiple POV’s as well as Kate and Anna’s relationship. Overall, this is a beautiful book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Terminal illness, Grief, Death, Cancer, and Child death

Moderate: Car accident and Suicide

zoejjj's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.0

Okay obviously I cried like a baby I have three sisters and if I was put in a position like this I have no clue what I would’ve done!! The part where Anna is in the shower and Kate is talking to her, saying I can lose you as a sister but I couldn’t handle losing you as a friend? I was trying to do chores while listening this and was cryinggg!! 

Nobody in this book is hateable. Not even Sara. She is written as an incredibly driven woman who will stop at nothing to save her daughter. Unfortunately her other kids get forgotten in the process but she regrets, she makes it right. “This is her pond but my lily pads”? Shaving her head for Kate? Honestly Jesse got the wayyyy short end of the straw but he also almost killed someone.

The ending is… so so.

I wish Jodi would’ve committed to Kate dying. In the end, Anna’s choice was taken away from her AGAIN. Was the whole lawsuit pointless? Maybe! Sure it’s (possibly) realistic bc life does not care but this book isn’t meant to be realistic like that. The ending is out of left field for the topics this book is dealing with.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Car accident, Drug use, Grief, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Child death, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, and Blood

Minor: Sexual content and Vomit

houimk's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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? N/A

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer and Chronic illness

Moderate: Medical trauma and Car accident

Minor: Grief