Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

346 reviews

rebb003's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Sexual assault

luxsona's review against another edition

mysterious reflective 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

4.0

This book is a slow burn of a book. It's a wonderful read though. Very introspective and philosophical. There were moments where I felt angry, sad, and hopeful, all within the same reading-session. I highly recommend this one if you are in a good headspace.

What I enjoyed

• Characterization: Ozeki characterizes everyone in such realistic ways. These characters are flawed people with wants, desires, strengths and weaknesses. There were many moments where I strongly disagreed with some of the characters and I feel like that's always a good thing in a book.
• Word Choice: I loved the word choice throughout this whole novel. There were moments where I could practically feel myself transported to the woods of the Pacific Northwest or the streets of Tokyo.  
• Authorial Voice: I don't know how to describe this one, but really the whole story felt... confident, for lack of a better word. The voice throughout the whole novel felt completely cohesive. The footnotes add to the sense of authority, and the
  connection to quantum mechanics
  really inspired a lot of philosophical thought.

Overall, this book was a fantastic read. I enjoyed all the little things that made this novel unique. The footnotes, the dual-perspective, the playing around with the concept of time and time-beings. All lent themselves to this book's identity. A fantastic read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, and Bullying

Moderate: War

galoshes's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-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

I'd picked up this book at the library, opened to the first page, and put it back on the shelf and looked for something else. Nothing else seemed particularly interesting, so I picked this up again and checked it out. I had no idea what it was about.

Sometimes I loved it. Sometimes I hated it. Sometimes I wondered why certain paragraphs were included at all. Now having finished it, I think I get what it was supposed to mean.

It's a huge stretch to say this character would spend so much time and energy researching when she hasn't even finished reading yet. It's like stopping halfway through a movie to run out and search the library for what happens next. The entire book, the character of Ruth (she wrote herself in as a character? By the end I wonder if this was another layer) makes no sense. And then she does. I think.

There are some horrifying scenes and subjects in this book I wasn't prepared for. I got emotional at times. Sometimes I talked out loud to the book, responding to it. Sometimes I just wondered what the point was. And then we got to the point and I don't know what to feel about it. Anyway I'd read it again. I might have to.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Rape, and Bullying

nkmustdie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Animal death, Cancer, Death of parent, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Violence, Torture, Vomit, War, Body shaming, Bullying, Dementia, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Torture, Vomit, War, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Chronic illness, Cancer, Body shaming, Rape, Violence, Death, Animal death, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Hate crime, Medical content, Sexual content, Abandonment, Blood, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Adult/minor relationship, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Suicide, Racism, and Racial slurs

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Cancer, Classism, Sexual assault, Medical content, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Child death, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Excrement, and Terminal illness

lindsayreads_theworld's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Excellent writing. Blend of philosophy with magical realism. My favorite parts are about the teenager with her grandmother. Some topics are very hard to read, which meant I required pauses. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Bullying, Suicide attempt, and War

nishalovesbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

TW: Many references of self harm and suicide 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Suicide attempt, and Rape

saltysnails's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

outernetbex'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

it’s always really hard for me to put into words how i feel about books after i read them. the situations in these books are so specific to the characters, and yet somehow the messages and sentiments that the author is able to convey feel so universal. i think it’s a beautifully written piece, that somehow touches on so many different aspects of the human experience. like others have said, the last chapter or so was kind of strange/out of place, but i don’t think it really takes away from the rest of the novel. so compelling and memorable. i have a feeling i’ll be thinking about it for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Vomit, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Bullying

Moderate: Sexual violence, Death of parent, Death, and Body horror

Minor: Torture

this book has a lot of trigger warnings, but i personally don’t think that they are handled well and not written for glorification or gratification. it’s just the nature of writing about dark themes.

elaivi's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual violence

sdramm's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, and Suicide attempt