Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - Theory

Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

dayvayen's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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prosenheim's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

3.75

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nuaxu's review

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informative mysterious reflective 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

4.25

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solntse's review

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emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

As someone who both struggles with anxiety and has moved many times in the hope of finally finding a sense of belonging or understanding, this novel was a beautiful and unsettling read. The novel depicts anxiety very realistically; Ronoah's tendency to be trapped by his racing thoughts was all too familiar. I think readers need to go into the book aware that it is not a typical fantasy offering. It is a travelogue and slice-of-life, with the action centred around internal conflict; the folklore and stories-within-stories were engaging, and the side characters especially stood out to me. That being said, the latter half of the novel was dominated by the protagonist's anxious musings, which slowed the pace and caused me to skip some paragraphs to get to the action.

The world-building was lovely: the details about differences in religion, cultural expressions, and versions of history were vivid. I loved the linguistic development, and Ronoah's struggles with learning the language were incredibly relatable. I loved the linguistic quirks included, with some words changed from modern English. It was a small touch that breathed life into the text and reminded me that I was in a new world in much the same way that the two moons did. I always enjoy a well-realised fantasy world, and I wish there had been more interactions with other characters, or explorations of other cities. It's not often you feel like you know the world you're reading, but the author breathed life into it, from the types of food eaten to the creation myths.

Ronoah's journey across the continent to find belonging was emotional. I identified strongly with him and was curious about his life. I enjoyed his empathy for others and his ability to think deeply. I related to his anxiety and his self-paralysis when stressed, and many of my favourite quotes felt as if they were written just for me. That being said, there were times when I skipped past the paragraphs of Ronoah's self-loathing; sometimes, it became too uncomfortable, and there were so many repetitions of this cycle that they sometimes lost their emotional impact. While I recognise that this is typical of anxiety to be repeating these same thoughts endlessly, as a reader, I wished this wasn't happening every few pages. If I'm frank, he was sometimes very tiring as the only narrator; I hope I don't feel like this to my friends! Ronoah's character development was satisfying, but

Reilin's big discovery cheapened it to me. It was the "aha!" moment and I felt like I was cheated out of some of Reilin's own story.

I'll admit that I didn't love Reilin. His air of mystery grew stale quickly, and this became evident in the second half, where

the only interruption to Ronoah's anxiety was Reilin's amused refusal to answer questions.

I did, however, <i> love </i> the side characters, especially the Tellers. I was so interested in their histories and I really regretted not seeing them again. I want to see more of the children of the sea, too.

The prose was sumptuous, especially in the stories-within-stories. I wish there had been more of those throughout the second half of the book. As I said above, Ronoah's internal monologues were frequent, and I am hoping that in the second book, they will be interspersed with more action so they don't become repetitive. I will definitely read the next book, and am excited to read more about the Shale project!

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divine_komedie_brute's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

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seaprincess's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

"I shall give them a name for themselves, a way to distinguish from place and parentage and godling, for it is by this distinguishment that they will grow into their reason for being. I shall give them a name for themselves, that they may feel the spark of their own unbridled individuality and know themselves important, no matter the forces which may seek to persuade them otherwise.
Make it so, exclaimed the gods.
With pleasure, said grinning Genoveffa. Behold: from language, life."

(4.5 stars) the heretic's guide to homecoming is a book that contains multitudes, coming alive, rearing its sentience above simple pages. a deeply empathetic and all-encompassing story tempered by hundreds of thousands of stories interwoven within, creating a world of palpably rich flavor and depth. it is about kindness and courage, at the same time about injustice and fear. about friendship and family, all the same about gods and godlings. it cuts relentlessly deep in its portrayals of both festering anxiety and progressive healing. and most notably, as the book is a "guide," we bear witness to ronoah's inner musings, and follow him on his travels, one physical through the world of shale, the other mental—a quest to self-acceptance, self-possession.

this book is written with gentleness and hope, and i went into it expecting this, but what i did not anticipate was the mental fortitude i needed to persevere through the story. our main character ronoah has an intense internal dialogue with his anxiety, and much of the text tails him on his downward spirals as he reacts to and moves through the world. while i found myself in keen resonance with ronoah as a character because of this, it was also difficult to see such struggles so accurately depicted on the pages, difficult to read as he dwelled on his perceived shortcomings when he actually had so much to offer. that being said, ronoah is so easy to empathize with and love, not only because of his grapple with mental health, but also because he tries his hardest to be kind and honest, to listen, to be observant and attentive, to appreciate others and his surroundings. really, to put it shortly, he just tries, period. in doing that, i found it so soothing to tag along on his journey, to watch him experience new things, to experience him kindling meaningful relationships. to see him fall, reflect, and get back up over and over again was incredibly inspiring. "life is transformation," he encourages himself stubbornly, "so change already."

ronoah's companion, reilin, is a perfect foil. although they share many traits (compassion, attentiveness, wisdom), reilin is much more self-confident from the get-go and therefore a quite a bit more unpredictable. so unpredictable, cryptic, and mysterious, in fact, that i occasionally found him rather frightening. despite that, though, i felt that i was able to trust him. time and time again, he shows ronoah what he needs to see, and tells him what he needs to hear (albeit with copious amounts of subtlety), nudging ronoah along, helping him find his footing, his voice, and himself. and surprisingly—or maybe unsurprisingly, given his character—reilin does this all for his own gain. so for reilin, i am truly grateful. he is one of the most interesting and uniquely multifaceted characters i've read about in a long time.

if the main characters weren't enough, the world of the heretic's guide and its people were full of intrigue. with every bend in the road, ronoah and reilin discovered something new. with every new friend met, every teller heard, every story and legend told, i was struck with true wonder. it is tremendously apparent that this world was built with so much love, thought, and care. even after hearing so much about each place, each culture, i still feel that there is so much more to know. i am still dizzy with awe at how real this story felt, and at the same time how magical it was. and like ronoah, i never stopped wanting to hear more.

it's hard to describe exactly what happens in this book, because truthfully, not much does. much of the expedition is internal, driven by the development and growth of its characters, characters who happen upon stories instead of the other way around. but luckily, that is just the type of story that i love. i adored every bit of it, its lessons on empathy and kindness, on vulnerability and trust, on failing and learning. i think the greatest maxim, however, was this—listen to others, believe in their stories, and don't forget to do the same for yourself.

“'I am changing. I am better, and getting better every day that passes, I know it, and you know it, because there was once a time where nothing could have separated you from the dusty roads you walked. You know the power an adventure has to transform you. It is worth the suffering. But—' His voice wavered just a bit, suddenly timid. 'But one day I will visit, and end your suffering. I will show you how changed I am, and I hope you will like what you see.'”

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a2412z's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

i looooovedd this so much possibly my favourite read this year so far. this is the type of book that makes me so happy i read. i can be very picky with books i read and i had to start this three separate times because i needed to get myself in the mood but oh god am i glad i put myself to it and read this. i will definitely be reading the sequel that's coming out soon this year.

the world-building was beautiful, it was so real. it had actual geography, language, culture and history. i grew to love each character for what they brought to the book and i will forever treasure ronoah. there were some painfully tender moments that we got from the romance (?) subplot, and it was the sweetest thing ever

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