Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Zaginione z Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman

10 reviews

the_romance_bookie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

This is a rough read.  Good, but mental institutions freak me out and this was such a tragic novel about some of the history behind America’s poor handling of mental illnesses in the past.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Grief, Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Blood, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Rape, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Sexual assault

amylynn_p's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Medical content, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Ableism, Excrement, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicide, Body horror, Child death, Grief, Medical trauma, and Torture

Perpetuates medicalized violence against disabled people.

slucchesi06's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Vomit

alilovesbooks4170's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Medical content, Self harm, Alcohol, Blood, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, and Child death

thebookkeepers's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

This isn't your average historical fiction novel. This book reads like a psychological thriller, or even horror. It will have the reader continuously guessing what is or isn't real, and who can be trusted. By no means is this an easy topic to read about, details of this "school" will leave the reader in disgust and will haunt you after closing the page. I'm glad this was a pick for my postal book club because it was one I feel like is better to read with friends. This book has so much to discuss and theorize on, plus you will most likely want a buddy to discuss that ending with. I did have some issues with how things tied up neatly at the end, and thus kept this from being a perfect 5 star book for me. A great genre blend of historical fiction and psychological thriller. I look forward to reading more from this author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, Excrement, Death, and Vomit

Moderate: Torture, Sexual assault, and Suicide

_theliteraturevillian_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Mind 👏🏾 Blown 👏🏾

Sage believed for six years her sister died of pneumonia only to find out at sixteen, her twin sister is being held at Willowbrook State School, “home” of the mentally declined. Sage takes a trip to Willowbrook to visit her sister and from there her life will never be the same. 

I was rooting for Sage from beginning to end. Every experience she went through I felt with her to the point I was tearing on the train. To know that this story was inspired by true events made me even more emotional. To know that actual people, actual children had suffered, died at Willowbrook makes my stomach churn with disgust. Being a psych grad, I could go on and on about state institutions but we’ll leave that for another day. 

2011 I received a letter from CSI (College of Staten Island) congratulating me on being accepted to their school. I turned down the offer due to the commute only for CSI to pop back into my life in the most unexpected way. What use to be Willowbrook State School is now the home of CSI. Definitely glad I turned them down 😩 ANYWAYS…

Character development ✅ 
Consistent tension✅
Engaging from start to finish✅
With a touch of history✅ 

Thank you @EllenMarieWiseman for teaching those of us who had no idea about Willowbrook. 

Is this a MUST READ or PASS? 

ITS A MUST READ

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Vomit, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Ableism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

xenalia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Excrement, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Confinement

Moderate: Infertility, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Self harm, Abandonment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Death

funsizesteffi1104's review against another edition

I found this book and the descriptions of Willowbrook extremely upsetting. I think it affected me so much because this happened to real people.  I was upset I couldn’t go on because I loved the premise.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Excrement, Death, Kidnapping, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Body shaming, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, and Physical abuse

emilyanngaudet's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Rape, Blood, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Self harm

hannahbannah's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Stalking, Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Infertility, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Body horror, Death, and Drug abuse