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holliejoy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Eating disorder, Blood, Medical content, and Grief
badmom's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
Simply put - this is a deeply beautiful account of the vast range of emotional reactions to suicide, and the disparate forms love & support & grief might take. Our narrator is understandably distraught over her husband’s death; his mother’s response, extreme in its ugly vindictiveness, is also shown to be understandable, in a way. Everyone in Q’s orbit is shaken by his death but shows their sorrow in different ways, leaving his widow feeling even more unmoored as she tries (or doesn’t) to find a path forward.
We are treated to the sweet and sometimes bittersweet history of this couple and with that we see the unfolding of characters that reveals layers of relationships. Nwabineli’s writing is subtly astute in the ways it shows growth in even the slightest of characters - she makes us notice everyone and compels us consider their stories within our own stories while allowing connections we might otherwise resist.
We are treated to the sweet and sometimes bittersweet history of this couple and with that we see the unfolding of characters that reveals layers of relationships. Nwabineli’s writing is subtly astute in the ways it shows growth in even the slightest of characters - she makes us notice everyone and compels us consider their stories within our own stories while allowing connections we might otherwise resist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Suicide, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Medical trauma, Grief, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Drug use, and Vomit
Minor: Gaslighting, Car accident, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
sarikinss's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I - wow. This book is a book everyone should read once, and maybe once again when they are experiencing any type of grief from loss of a loved one. Onyi Nwabineli somehow put indescribable feelings into the words that could closest describe them and that in and of itself is a gift to the world, and I truly believe it will be a comfort to those in similar situations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Self harm, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use
Minor: Alcoholism
zarrazine's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Death
catwhisperer's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Death, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Vomit
trinixglo's review against another edition
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Suicide
wellreadsinger's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-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
3.0
Love is a powerfully transformative emotion and books like this make me consider the ways in which grief is the same. It has the power of a domino to not only effect you, but those that are trying to bolster you while shouldering their own grief.
Honestly, reading this book became a chore and not necessarily because we are with Eve as she processes her grief—that’s intentional as it makes you feel as if you’re experiencing the stages with her, but because of other things.
Eve and her family have the resources to get her professional help, but because of the harmful notion instilled in her young that black folk don’t talk to outside people about their issues, she practically refuses to consider it when it is (belatedly) presented to her. Her family could have offered to go to therapy WITH her since they were grieving too. Eve’s journey to healing was supported by a group of family and friends that loved her deeply, but no amount of love can save a person that does not want to help themselves.
That being said, a professional may have told Eve that her husband Quentin being close lipped about his demons and even about his traumatic childhood coincides with him not leaving a note before taking his own life. He probably did not want to burden his wife any further since she would have to mourn him.
Throughout the book Eve is harassed by Q’s (racist and grieving) mother. Aspen treated Eve horribly the duration of her marriage to Q and it irks me to no end that he never really checked his mom aside from one time.
Religion and preconceived notions taking priority over doing what was best to help made the healing journey more tedious when it didn’t have to be. This book missed an opportunity to show how family and connections rooted in love can come together even when a possible solution is not their prerogative. I commend the author for this necessary raw depiction of grief because it compels us as people to practice empathy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
nbreezy17's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Death
hannahglenn's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Pregnancy
elisabethshelby's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Whew.
This is undoubtedly both a beautifully written story about loss and grief and finding your way through the pain of your spouse dying, and a heavy, heartbreaking tale of the main character losing herself and her own life, so to speak, in discovering her spouse dead.
**CW** Suicide
It should be noted that this book is based heavily around Quentin's suicide, and the grief associated with that. The book goes into some details about how he died. I would warn that the reader should probably be a good head space to enjoy this book. I had to push this book back into my TBR pile when I was having my own anxiety issues.
That being said - I'm not sure I've ever read a book that so accurately and beautifully describes the grief a human can feel. The ups and downs that Eve felt as she came to terms with her husband's sudden departure is so painful to read because it is so relatable to the reader - her emotion is palpable on every page, and though I didn't agree with every choice she made throughout the novel, I understood that her decisions were being made when her emotional well being was at its lowest.
This book is a strong recommend read for me, though I'm not sure I'll be able to sit through a rereading of it anytime soon. Add this to your TBR pile this year, you won't regret it.
This is undoubtedly both a beautifully written story about loss and grief and finding your way through the pain of your spouse dying, and a heavy, heartbreaking tale of the main character losing herself and her own life, so to speak, in discovering her spouse dead.
**CW** Suicide
It should be noted that this book is based heavily around Quentin's suicide, and the grief associated with that. The book goes into some details about how he died. I would warn that the reader should probably be a good head space to enjoy this book. I had to push this book back into my TBR pile when I was having my own anxiety issues.
That being said - I'm not sure I've ever read a book that so accurately and beautifully describes the grief a human can feel. The ups and downs that Eve felt as she came to terms with her husband's sudden departure is so painful to read because it is so relatable to the reader - her emotion is palpable on every page, and though I didn't agree with every choice she made throughout the novel, I understood that her decisions were being made when her emotional well being was at its lowest.
This book is a strong recommend read for me, though I'm not sure I'll be able to sit through a rereading of it anytime soon. Add this to your TBR pile this year, you won't regret it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Vomit, and Alcoholism
Minor: Abortion