Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Poor Things by Alasdair Gray

9 reviews

kurtwombat's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

 

My estimation of this novel rose and fell several times during my reading. I mostly enjoyed bobbing and weaving my way through this Victorian novel spoof pastiche of different unreliable narrators in different styles, formats and genres but there were a few points of tedium. The letters from abroad format went on a little too long and the third section of the novel delivered as bits of reporting were a tad too dry (more interesting when I finally realized what the point of it was). But the central idea is genius—that in order to tell the story of a smart, independent, self-actualized woman (in Victorian Scotland or even today) the story has to be approached as science fiction. Such a woman has to be the Frankenstein like creation of a man—she couldn’t come naturally by those qualities. That is the first part (maybe ¾ of the novel). Second part is the real female character telling her side—much more realistic but still skewed by her perspective. And the last part is a kind of reckoning of the two—dispatches from the time create a foundation of reality. Feels old and new at the same time—don’t settle in it will change directions. Lays waste to men as a gender—rightfully so. Presents them as foolish and temperamental and disposable just as women in literature were/are often portrayed. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Mental illness, Sexism, Suicide, and Sexual content

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

challenging dark funny 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Classism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Violence, Confinement, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Child abuse, Suicide, Addiction, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Racism

issyd23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Insane last chapter: Gray deconstructs & satirises not just the novel but class, love & objectivity in storytelling/history. Keen to see how the film compares! 3🧠 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Self harm, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Classism, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Sexual content, Medical content, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Suicide, and Terminal illness

secunda's review

adventurous challenging funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective slow-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

5.0

Delightfully postmodern with very funny prose most of the time. The book’s heartfelt yet satirical take on poverty and gender politics is quite enjoyable. The last chapter in particular makes it worth reading even if you’ve already seen the movie. It gives the novel a very different narrative.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexism, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Racism, Misogyny, Medical content, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Mental illness

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, and Forced institutionalization

helenstratton's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I think this book has reignited a love of literature I had misplaced for over a decade.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Infidelity

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Sexual content, Body horror, and Pregnancy

Minor: Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, War, Suicide, Classism, and Death of parent

gordyfromschool's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Confinement, Ableism, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Incest, Classism, Physical abuse, Abortion, Body horror, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, and Colonisation

readdanoread's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Body horror, Death, Ableism, Racial slurs, Miscarriage, Antisemitism, Mental illness, Gun violence, Racism, Medical content, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Cursing, Colonisation, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Suicide, Grief, Alcohol, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Alcoholism

chasingpages1's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny informative mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Classism, Colonisation, Abandonment, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Gun violence, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child death, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, and Death

Minor: Religious bigotry, Slavery, Trafficking, Violence, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Cursing, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Drug use, Racism, and War

rcsreads's review

dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Sexual content, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship