Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

40 reviews

lucykae's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Blood, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Infertility, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

cnannery19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Murder, Rape, Infertility, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Racial slurs, Bullying, Misogyny, Cancer, Death, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

justmys's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

A good read. I felt the pacing sort of slump in the middle and then race through the trial a little but overall it was a decent book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Classism, Grief, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Racism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Blood, Car accident, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Cancer, Hate crime, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Bullying, Murder, Child death, Stalking, Misogyny, and Racism

wogslandwriter's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

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

5.0

I did not know what to expect from this book when I started it. Honestly, it was beyond my expectations from the very beginning and it just kept going. I did not know how it was going to end.

I was pretty sure Kaya wouldn't go to jail, but I honestly did think that she had killed Tate. It made the most logical sense, but it just didn't seem like she had done it. It was definitely a surprise to have that twist at the end, but it all makes sense and it brings a sense of mildly juvenile wonder which I think really matches Kaya's personality because she was neglected for so long and stayed agoraphobic for her who life.

I laughed and cried reading this and it may be one of the best literary novels I have ever read. I am definitely interested in more books like this, with a focus on ecology and personhood. It is extremely good and I highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Racism, Murder, Death, Classism, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual content, Cursing, and Misogyny

Minor: Car accident, War, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Child death, Infertility, and Sexism

Kaya, the main character of this book is subject to extreme childhood neglect from and absent mother and alcoholic father. The book focuses on her abandonment and loneliness as it follows her story.

As a teenager she has a relationship with an older boy who is technically an adult for the later part of their relationship. As a young adult, she has a relationship with an emotionally manipulative young man where he is cheating on her and lying to her regularly. After breaking it off with him, he later chases her down and attempts to rape her. She defends herself and is able to escape him.

There are also graphic flashbacks to her father beating her mother and siblings and discussion of how her town is segregated with black people living in "colored town" separate from the white people. There is mild discussion of the racism of the era, but mostly it is simply treated as matter of fact as it is viewed through the eyes of a child.

mellysay's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Violence, and Racism

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Eating disorder, Grief, Rape, Slavery, Infertility, and Sexism

simply_fran's review

dark emotional informative mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Murder, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, and Racism

Minor: Cancer

raderm1's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Racial slurs

Minor: Cancer, Murder, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Blood, Classism, Death of parent, Infertility, and Injury/Injury detail

creationwing's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

3.75

The story was fine, and the descriptions of nature were quiet good. I found it could be verbose at times, and, as others have pointed out, the dialogue was wasn't the strongest. While I liked the characters like Jumpin and such, the author builds tension only to accidentally deflate it too quickly and too soon. I have mixed feelings about this book. I got emotional at times, but it was lacking something that made the transition between the two (eventually coinciding) timelines choppy. The time jump in the last few chapters felt especially abrupt.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Bullying, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Cursing, Hate crime, Violence, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, Body horror, and Animal death

Minor: Addiction, Medical content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, War, Mental illness, Cancer, Car accident, Chronic illness, Drug use, Infertility, Sexual harassment, and Self harm

Graphic depictions of domestic violence, including against children.

A (frankly unnecessary) scene involving racist hate crime and slurs.

First period Coercion of sex / dubious consent / wear her down Some injuries are described quite graphically, more than expected, at least Implied painful sexual experiences. Attempted sexual assault.

thinkingcatss's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Rape, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Racism

maecave15's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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

3.0

Content warnings - domestic abuse, of sex,  a sexual assault scene, 

I did a buddy read of this book with a close friend. 🤗

Honestly though, she enjoyed the book a lot but I thought it was just okay. I have seen this book being called a thriller in articles, but it was not even close to thrilling in any way.

The story was slow paced but I liked seeing how Kya survived on her own in the marsh. I don't think it deserved a whole movie but it was still a decent story. Her connection with the marsh and its flora and fauna was unique. I'm glad they explored that part of her and made it a central theme to her character. 

I also enjoyed her friendship with Jumpin' and Mabel, and most of her relationship with Tate. Although it bugs me that the entire town is very prejudiced towards her and seemingly only her. There is no mention of the many other marsh people. She wasn't friends with the others living in the marsh, much less even noticed they existed. 

Another irritation, why did all of her family leave her? I imagine at least one sibling would have taken her with them instead of leaving the youngest one (at 6yrs old) to deal with their drunk father alone. 

This book feels like a mashup of nature writing, YA romance and coming of age, murder mystery, and  dysfunctional families. Not in a way that was well thought out though.

The murder "mystery" didn't fit very well with her story either. It felt out of place, especially because all the chapters for that plotline where very short. It seemed as if they tacked it into the book to add some drama, but it was the least entertaining portion of the whole story. Everything about it from the initial chapters through the trial and to its conclusion, the whole thing was just not working for me. And even though the final end of this mystery was a plot twist, it just didn't fit with the character or story.

Her relationship with Tate was sweet, and I am happy with how that storyline ended up at least. 

SPOILER - 

I was happy to see her brother Jodie come back into her life and they reconnected and stayed in each other's lives. I don't understand how any of them just left Kya to begin with though. 

Overall an okay read, and I am not mad that I read it, but I won't be going back to it or keeping on my shelves.

A quick aside, I did try to watch the movie but because I already thought the book itself was kind of slow paced the movie ended up being really boring for me. The scenes were done well cinematically but because the story barely entertained me as a book, the movie was worse. I skipped through a lot of it honestly. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Bullying, Cancer, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, and Domestic abuse