Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Women Talking by Miriam Toews

39 reviews

battybookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I struggled with this book until I switched to the audiobook format. I will say, the narration and choice of the main character still bothered me. My wish was that it was told in a first-person style directly from the women but there are elements towards the end that make sense for why it isn't told in such a way. Still, this is my main reason for scoring it lower. 

Otherwise, this book was an interesting meditation and tied well with my recent watch of The Wonder (2022) with Florence Pugh. It is a lovely telling of a horrifying truth with plenty of empathy and thought put into the women represented. Finding out the author has her own history with the Mennonite faith placed the story for me a bit. It's not a great novel that arrives at any full conclusion or plot finish, but it does meditate on ideas of faith and power. I don't know how or when I'd recommend this book to anyone, I am glad I read it though, and am enjoying the process of audiobook experimentation it is continuing me on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse

This book centers around the discussion of multiple real-life assaults and rapes. These rapes are deeply traumatic and disturbing in nature and are discussed in occurrences of many ages that may disturb people. There is also in-depth mention of physical abuse and the drugging procedure that is done.

hngisreading's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Pregnancy, Rape, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

vixenreader's review against another edition

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

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

4.0

A text that that gives a humanizing insight on a community that is not as closely examined as it should be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Transphobia

Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Alcoholism

There is a lot of information about Mennonite culture and the story adhering to the assault of the women such community. Please read at your own discretion.

beccabookworm's review against another edition

reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Vomit, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Suicide

farmchick's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Rape

elliethelibrarian's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

dhrutigopaluni's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

2.25

I had a hard time rating or reviewing this book because on the one hand, I was invested enough to read through the end, but on the other hand, it employs my least favorite writing mechanism. I really struggle with authors who choose to fictionalize a historical occurrence, especially one that is so traumatic. Unless there is explicit documentation, we do not necessarily know how the actual figures felt or what they thought, and to put words in their mouths or their minds seems to me to be vastly disrespectful. I also did not understand or care for the inclusion of the male narrator’s weird obsession with Ona - what was the point of that? I also thought it odd that August was translating all of the dialogue into english for transcription. Why translate in the first place, and why into English? If this originally occurred in Bolivia, and the purpose was to make the minutes more accessible, why wasn’t it translated into Spanish? And if we are to assume that the author has relocated the communities for the purpose of this book, what was the point of that? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

liblibby's review against another edition

emotional tense 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt

gwendola's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence