Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

64 reviews

thatone2112's review against another edition

dark emotional

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Rape, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Incest, and Body shaming

Moderate: Alcoholism and Classism

Minor: Death of parent and Death

jpauguste's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? Yes

4.25

This is probably the most devastating book I have ever read. Toni Morrison’s lyrical way of writing shows how the tolls of racism, poverty, and neglect can leach onto us like a parasite and make us sick, mentally and morally. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Racism, Pedophilia, and Mental illness

boop123's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.25

 Man I teared up when reading the author’s note… finding out that a schoolmate of hers wanted to have blue eyes which led her to the creation of this book really devastated me but at the same time, truly reflects the reality of beauty standards during that era and how prevalent the importance of resembling a white person is considered beautiful. It was heartbreaking and melancholic but the writing was so beautifully written. The fact that this was Toni Morrison’s debut and she immediately came out with this banger is crazy like her literary achievements are definitely well-deserved. 

I also like how the book focused on different characters but still connected with Pecola and how it altered her perception of beauty towards herself and others. This was an interesting writing decision but I liked how fleshed out the characters and simultaneously provides a backdrop to its reality. Different characters throughout the book constantly referred to Pecola as ugly and you can tell that even Pecola herself believed and internalized that. Even towards the end when Pecola wanted to have the bluest eyes because she kept on comparing them to other girls who have them. The ending was just so tragic and saddening but the way it was written was eloquent and compelling to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Mental illness and Physical abuse

cmrbwa's review against another edition

dark reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Rape, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Incest, and Child abuse

laurianeisreading's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, and Rape

Moderate: Death, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Bullying

emerentina's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Bullying, Sexual assault, Incest, Racism, Rape, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Violence, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Racial slurs, Addiction, Grief, and Mental illness

annatl4's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

toni morrison writes honestly and so heartbreakingly well. the complexities of the story and characters highlight the reality of difficult topics. each character was given its own spotlight in order to piece together a tale of generational trauma and served as a vehicle for topics of racism, self-hatred, beauty standards, and resilience. i enjoyed the vignette style of writing and the way morrison wrote with intent for the reader to read between the lines. i believe this is a book not only for the academic setting, but for everyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Incest, Racism, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Mental illness

tgij's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

The book does a lot of world-building and gives a lot of background for how the main character ended up in her current life. There were eye-opening passages. I reflected on how Pecola’s father’s upbringing impacted his parenting and how different his thinking was from how I would imagine going on to parent my children if I had the life he lived. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Bullying, Racism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

hapikohw'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? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It was an honor to experience my first Toni Morrison novel through a public (virtual) reading done by all Black women authors, feminists and radicals.

Pecola Breedlove, there are many of you. Many failed. May we fail many others no more.

Toni Morrison, may you rest in peace and power. You completed everything you hoped to in your foreword.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body shaming, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Blood, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Classism, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cursing, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Ableism

silver_lining_in_a_book's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

4.75

 

Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe. There is no gift for the beloved. The lover alone possesses his gift of love. The loved one is shorn, neutralized, frozen in the glare of the lover’s inward eye.

I think the quote above speaks for itself. There is no wonder that Toni Morrison is so beloved amongst both book readers and those who do not tend to read quite as often. This book is so moving, striking and shocking. Being Morrison's debut novel, I get the sense that she has not yet come into herself as a writer, but the writing is gorgeous nonetheless and accomplishes exactly what the author sets off to achieve from the start (according to the author's note). For the time in which it is written, this book and its narrative are exceptionally innovative, the language is exciting and memorable, and the characters are multidimensional and complex.

Overall, I am disappointed that I did not read this sooner. Morrison is an absolute treasure! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual content, Racism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Addiction, Mental illness, Classism, Religious bigotry, Drug use, Child abuse, Bullying, Misogyny, Incest, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, and Hate crime