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lochanreads's reviews
306 reviews
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Written with both beautiful and uncomfortable prose, Diamond Hill is a stark depiction of loss and hope in a slowly dying world.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, and Sexism
Moderate: Blood, Death, Miscarriage, Cancer, Confinement, Torture, Animal cruelty, and Violence
Minor: Racism and Body shaming
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Child death, Torture, Cannibalism, Death, Sexual violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, Animal death, Rape, and Animal cruelty
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Blood, Torture, Death, and Self harm
Moderate: Abandonment, Gore, and Racism
4.0
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Biphobia and Lesbophobia
Minor: Outing
4.0
- 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
McIvor is a resounding, new voice with the fresh take that modern-day Caribbean literature needs. Her debut novel The God of Good Looks is a witty, transformative and ultimately satisfying read. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!
Moderate: Violence, Sexual harassment, Grief, and Death of parent
- 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Car accident and Mental illness
4.0
Dines goes far beyond mainstream ideals that typify the practice of self-care, a widely popularised concept that has been gaining a lot more attention in recent years. More than just a surface-level discussion about things like; meditation, therapy, perfecting one’s mountain pose, or lighting scented candles, Dines probes deeper and approaches the conversation on what he defines as Super Self-Care through a broader and more multifaceted lens.
Super Self-Care is both synonymous with working towards recovery from addiction and with addressing career and creative stagnation. It is the act of confronting our subconscious fears and building healthy relationships. It is the act of practising self-compassion and of harnessing the power of visualisation. This book has many dimensions to it and considers a comprehensive range of powerful themes.
Dines writes from a place of profound vulnerability as he draws from his own past experiences with addiction, compulsive behaviours and recovery, to help people overcome the difficult trials they might be facing in life.
“All areas of my life improved when I became authentically visible. My challenge today is to sustain my authentic visibility, one day at a time.”
His writing both extends and evokes empathy not only in how deeply honest he gets in the personal unveiling of himself, but also in how he uses the collective voice in places, to demonstrate his understanding of the types of fears and insecurities people who this book is primarily aimed at will have in certain situations.
“To observe our thoughts and feelings requires willingness and gentleness.”
In this way, Dines shares his extensive knowledge of mindfulness, group therapy i.e. Twelve Steps of Recovery programs, and spiritual practice to provide readers with a pool of effective techniques to aid in their personal growth.
Because of this book's sweeping range, I thought there was more scope for deeper development and for the many brilliant points it raises to be further expanded upon. However, I did appreciate the intentional structure of the writing; it has relevant subheadings throughout, that tie in nicely with the main subject of each chapter and help to break down the text into easily readable sections. Add to this the fact that Super Self-Care is a comfortably short body of work, 158 pages on Kindle to be exact, and it makes for a smooth reading experience!
Moderate: Addiction
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Minor: Homophobia and Sexual content