Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

13 reviews

buffalo666's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

Extremely slow paced, major plot events don't really take place until the last 1/3 of the book, but still definitely worth reading. Unreliable narrator but not really focused on, as much as it's always just in the back of the reader's mind. The book itself never comes to a clear conclusion about the guilt or innnocence of most of the characters as some people might want, but explores how all of the pieces of the real story may have played out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Miscarriage, Abortion, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Violence

wiltingnightshade's review against another edition

dark 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

0.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Fatphobia

DNF'd... although I could see that it's a well-written story, I had to stop reading because this book perpetuate harmful myths about mental illness,

Even though it's acknowledged that the violent murderess was only faking having mental illness to avoid the death sentence, the characters keep associating mental illness with violence. People with serious mental illnesses are more likely to be victims of violence, than the perpetrators.

charlottemarston's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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

5.0

"Simon accepts a cup of tea. He doesn't much like tea, but considers it a social duty to drink it in this country"- love this quote. Honestly loved the whole thing, it was so gripping and just wanted to keep reading. I liked the ending. Enjoyed reading the afterword as well

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Abortion, Death, Murder, and Mental illness

amsswim's review

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

I really liked this but boy it was slow. I'd recommend if you are into historical fiction, but this also crosses directly into true crime. Margret Atwood clearly did her research and really brought this story to life. Glad I was finally able to finish it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Sexism, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, Grief, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Misogyny, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pedophilia, Medical content, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Murder

Moderate: Xenophobia, Abandonment, Deportation, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Child death, and Adult/minor relationship

rebeccaquinton's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, and Abortion

shelfofunread's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Death of parent, Death, Murder, Sexual content, and Infidelity

Minor: Pregnancy

katewhite77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

A Gripping Yarn

Shamefully my first Atwood in decades. I now know what all the fuss is about as she can certainly write beautifully and I won't be leaving it so long before trying some more of her work. 

This novel is based on true historical events and tells the story of Grace Marks an infamous murderess (or was she!) of the 19th century. 

I certainly learnt a lot about religious beliefs and practices of the time and the changing attitudes towards mental illness. 

However I did find some aspects of the sub plot a little hard to believe but maybe that was all part of Atwood's plan to add an extra layer of very dark humour to the story. I will leave it up to you, the potential future reader to decide.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Misogyny

yolanda_h's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Pregnancy

jolibon4e's review against another edition

dark 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

Rarely is there such an unreadable and boring book. To be honest part of it may have been that I had completely different expectations but I am very disappointed. Truly I have no idea why the points of view were constantly changing, why was there so much description of random stuff that did not amount of anything. Like, the only thing I get from the book is that men are inherently sleazy and evil and all women ever do is suffer. Sure, but I don’t need 400 pages of this, there is nothing profound in that? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Death

Moderate: Pregnancy, Rape, and Abortion

Minor: Fatphobia

katievh's review against another edition

challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Child abuse

Moderate: Infidelity, Drug abuse, Classism, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Confinement

Minor: Alcoholism, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Body shaming