Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Il mio anno di riposo e oblio by Gioia Guerzoni, Ottessa Moshfegh

460 reviews

raeslibrary's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

3.25

The writing for this book on a sentence level was great. Frequently, while reading you would come across sentences and passages that felt like they deserved to be underlined. These passages felt like they captured a particular internal experience of self-loathing and depression (in a similar fashion that The Bell Jar would). And then you, as the reader, would be forced to consider why you’re relating to a main character who is so deeply unhinged and unlikable. 

The main character, I suspect, will be polarizing in terms of whether or not you enjoy reading from her perspective because she makes deeply selfish choices in her commitment to her task. I don’t have a problem with reading from the perspective of a main character who is privileged and insufferable, especially because I think the book makes it clear that it’s a purposeful decision and a lot of her less than admirable qualities are a by-product of her not addressing her own depression and self-loathing, however, the book still felt aimless. There felt like there was no real conclusion or take away from the read, just the experience of it. That might have also been an intensional choice but it leaves the reader feeling empty at the end of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use

Minor: Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

meganspletzer's review against another edition

challenging dark funny 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Death of parent

snazzy_suze's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

I know this book is popular but I would honestly not recommend it. Being inside the narrator's head feels like poison. Dark and depressing without any payoff. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse

Moderate: Child abuse and Suicide

ingeborg43's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

Pretty well written! Even though it was in English, it was really easy and entertaining to read. There's not too much happening in the story but it speaks for itself that I have finished it in a few days anyway. I didn't like the main character a whole lot but I guess it was just a good description of what trauma and mental illness can do to a person and how it changes their perception. Since English isn't my first language and the book seems to be very popular, I can imagine that I haven't caught every nuance and meaning. I recommend it to anyone who likes something reflective and dark to read, and has another book at hand to cheer them up again afterwards.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

sapheralee's review against another edition

dark funny sad medium-paced

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

2.0

Did not enjoy this book. Luckily it was a quick read. I definitely understand that the point is that the main character is unlikeable, but she was pretty insufferable. And there was absolutely no plot. Again, I get that that's the point, but the focus on drugs got old. Also, if it's supposed to be a reflection on depression, I just don't think it achieves that. Maybe in some ways, but it's too repetitive!!   

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

Moderate: Eating disorder

medini_l's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Cancer, Confinement, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

whimsofwands's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

3.5

I really enjoyed this portrayal of some of the impacts on constant objectification - it feels true and often unspoken. I felt like I knew the main character and she was deeply original. That said, the ending was a complete whiff for me - I don't understand what my take away should be. If it had ended with nothingness or no sense of movement, that would've been interesting to me, but instead it ended with a haphazard event and no explanation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

bethtuba's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Abortion

acorny's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse

Moderate: Eating disorder, Suicide, and Death of parent

allydoessomereading's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

4.25

The main character is hard to like, she's rude and distant, but in many ways painfully relatable. The book looks at depression and untreated trauma in a way that is honest and cruel. It balances sympathy with disdain all at once and its a challenging subject to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, and Death of parent