Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

The Inland Sea by Madeleine Watts

6 reviews

carlytenille's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense medium-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Abortion, Alcohol, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury

coralcrab77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

There were some minor editing issues that I noticed. 
But for a debut novel, I thought it was beautiful and well-written. I saw parts of myself in the narrator. 
I have recently found that I love character-driven stream-of-consciousness writing, but I know it's not for everyone.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcoholism, Abortion, and Medical trauma

Minor: Domestic abuse

jackelz's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

There is a lot of unpack here. I checked this one out from the library to satisfy a ‘climate change’ prompt, but this book is so much more than that. 

I found the writing style very unique. The narrator is never named, and most of the people she interacted with had fictional names. There are tidbits about John Oxley (her ancestor), and his exploration of the Lachlan river to find an Inland Sea, randomly throughout the book. 

The protagonist indulges in blackout drinking, unprotected sex, and hazardous hook ups with an ex. She works at Australia’s Triple Zero dispatch center answering phones, “Emergency police, fire, or ambulance.” I felt the helplessness she felt when she couldn’t connect the caller fast enough. We come to learn her thoughts and fears surrounding climate change, which are parallel to her habits of self destruction. 

This book made me uncomfortable at times, but it will be one that sticks with me for a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Abortion, Medical trauma, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, and Toxic relationship

erinmargaretmary's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

jouljet's review against another edition

dark reflective tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Medical trauma, and Toxic relationship

jameslyons's review

emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal death, Medical trauma, Sexism, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Addiction, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Blood and Domestic abuse

Minor: Rape and Drug use