Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

94 reviews

paidays's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

4.5

Rivers Solomon told this story with clear recognition of the gravity of the subject matter while also demonstrating such thoughtfulness and sensitivity in depicting it. This book is well-crafted, brilliant, and achingly honest without being cruel or delighting in the horrors it contains… despite all odds, it is an unflinching portrayal of resistance, resilience, and hope. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Abortion, and Murder

Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Transphobia

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

lue_moon's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

I really love Rivers Solomon's world building. I felt pretty immediately immersed and drawn into the world that Aster is defiantly a part of. I really appreciated how this author navigates important themes around racism, slavery, classism and the brutality of those in power. I also felt the representation/exploration of neurodivergence, gender, and impact of trauma was well done. It does get quite dark and gruesome, so please read content warnings. Things became a bit chaotic and felt slightly rushed with the ending, but perhaps gives the reader a similar feeling of the chaos of rebellion. I do wish to have gotten a bit more of this world past the end of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

lavloveslit's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

2.5

Too much suffering to rate any higher. Certain aspects of this book absolutely slayed. Very intriguing, complex, and well written characters. There was just too much going on plot wise. I could not read this book quickly, I kept having to put it down for long stretches of time. But I did finish it. And it will stick with me for sure.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and Classism

Moderate: Vomit

aplpaca's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, and Classism

Moderate: Rape and Abortion

abijmieds's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Rivers Solomon answers the question, "What would it looks like if humanity left earth but took our systemic and racial inequalities with us?" A challenging read on several levels; be sure to check the content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

grandiose_r's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, and Classism

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Child death, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

mahaila's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

benjspriggs's review against another edition

dark hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Rape, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Blood, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent

hazelwood's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

An absolute masterpiece. Octavia Butler would have loved this, I think. The characters are so so realistic! The neurodivergent representation! The gender nonconformity! The aspec representation! The dissection of power and trauma and grief! Not to mention the beautiful use of language and intensely detailed worldbuilding! I am gathering up Aster and Theo and Giselle and Ainy and Pippi and Mabel and Flick and Lune and I am forever holding them close to my heart where they can be safe. I only wish for another book, or an afterword, or something so I can know if it all turned out okay!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

astridrv's review against another edition

dark reflective sad

It took me a few chapters to get into it but I am now smitten with Solomon's prose. Aster is such a great protagonist, complex, real, unpredictable whilst making perfect sense. I am in love with Theo and thankful to have spent time with them both. The story telling is exquisite, I love the structure (with some jumps and folk tales and non-linear elements). The content is hard to stomach but true to the complexities of trauma and resistance. Also gender feels.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Self harm, Slavery, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Classism