Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett

24 reviews

boyinajar's review against another edition

dark funny sad fast-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

what a masterclass in unreliable narration! very raw, sticky prose. deeply involved character work. incredibly vivid imagery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Gore, Cursing, Death of parent, Animal death, Sexual content, Alcohol, Addiction, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Sexism, Cancer, Child abuse, Vomit, and Toxic relationship

ksabol's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad 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: Animal death, Suicide, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol and Cancer

whenmalanereads's review

dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I started this book on Libby by reading it and then I had to finish it via audio book. I have to say it is better in audio book format. However the book is just so so. None of the characters have personalities and I found it hard to connect with any of them. Maybe that's the point. To not connect with any of them. I don't know. It felt like nothing actually ever happened and family drama is kind of annoying throughout the plot. None of the characters speak to each other. They just drink and assume problems get solved that way. It was just a weird that didn't have an actual point it seemed. There were some resolutions, but not many. It also just felt selfish and the main character was annoying. The best character/s were the teenagers. Lolee and Bastien. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Death, Mental illness, Death of parent, Suicide, Alcoholism, Blood, and Cancer

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Grief, Animal death, and Gore

Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Grief, Suicide, Vomit, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Abandonment, Addiction, Death, Blood, Gore, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

grunbean's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.5

I picked this up as it’s one of the ‘weird girl’ book recommendations I kept coming across on my TikTok feed. It’s a weird girl book, but the first weird girl book I’ve read that portrays family and and generational trauma like this.

If you’re looking for a book where lots of things happen, this isn’t for you. This is a book that is about people, and I really loved how it’s the family and not events that carry this. It will hit home if you’ve coped with generational trauma or felt tied down by your love for your family.

However, I’m still wrapping my head around the parts with the cicada.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, Cancer, and Death

kristin_boren's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

4.5

Whew was this a visceral book. It was written with such vivid description I felt oppressed by the Florida heat. Very strange, very sad, and surprisingly hopeful in the end. I think I never need to read about taxidermy again this might have been enough for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Animal death, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual assault, Vomit, Cancer, and Pregnancy

h3art's review against another edition

emotional funny informative reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.25

it's crazy how I thought this book wouldn't literally rip and tear me by the emotional seems with the swampy, Florida nostalgia 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicide, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer, Gore, and Terminal illness

Minor: Vomit

grey_jayne's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad medium-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

4.5

Mostly Dead Things is beautiful in its fuckedupness and authentically queer. The taxidermy details and animal hard could be too intense for some. Totally not my usual kind of book, but in some ways it very much is, as indicated by the above. This book is such a strong debut.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Suicide, Infidelity, Gore, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

sunbearbeam's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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: Animal death and Suicide

Moderate: Pregnancy and Cancer

ruffian23's review

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Gore, and Animal death

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship

kathleendayle's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Animal death, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness