Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

36 reviews

alexiconic's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.75

The question this book raises is: how many stars does a book get for its (good, relatable, rarely well done) depiction of mental illness? I think this was for me the biggest strength of the book. And maybe … when it comes down to it, it’s what made it a good book at all. 

Because the representation of OCD in this book is really, really good. It is confronting to see thought spirals portrayed so well. And it was great to see this without any blemish or polish. For my taste, however, too much of the book was about the continuing and worsening spirals, and the (sometimes a little obnoxious) existential wondering included. I guess that’s where this is a YA novel and I am no longer a teen, but it’s a little dramatic. It also made the (at most 50 pages-long) realizations and “recovery” too sudden, too rushed, and unfortunately the book lost some strength here. Yes, it is difficult to write how taking medication regularly will suddenly improve your mental health. But if 3/4ths of the book have been about the hell of the symptoms and the worries about taking meds, it would have been nice to have a bit more analysis. And while the end resonated with my own mental health experiences, it seems counterintuitive and is not often seen and that is exactly why I would have loved for the last 10 pages to last a bit longer. 

I just wanted a bit more time in the story. A bit more time for the cool sidekicks. A bit more time for the OCD and for recovery. In the end, though, isn't that also a good sign? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death, Medical trauma, Self harm, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Body horror, and Blood

bookburdy's review

hopeful informative sad medium-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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent, Self harm, Vomit, Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Mental illness, Car accident, and Chronic illness

ca_r's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Chronic illness, Self harm, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Death of parent

roaze's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Chronic illness, Body horror, Medical content, and Self harm

caseythereader's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Abandonment, Blood, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

nmoji's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Medical content, Grief, Drug use, Death of parent, Classism, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Chronic illness and Alcoholism

jenna_justi2004's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? Yes

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Vomit, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Drug use, and Eating disorder

rosegoes3's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad tense

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

4.75

This book is heavy, especially for someone like me who also is mentally ill, it was hard sometimes not to spiral as Aza spirals. 

I love John Green’s prose and his understanding of the human condition. Well done. 

Daisy sucks. Some of the characters felt very flat and the use of setting was sometimes odd but the dialogue and internal conflict make up for it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Blood, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Grief, Body horror, and Car accident

taylorbethk's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, and Death

ratxheart's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Medical content, Mental illness, Self harm, and Classism