Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Cut

Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Cut by Patricia McCormick

8 reviews

emily_linn_26's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

3.5

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epeolatrist's review against another edition

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dark sad 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

3.25

I picked up this book in the library when I was 16 and an active self harmer. Ashamed of what I did and determined to keep it a secret, I put it back on the shelf and didn't pick it up again until a few months ago. I'm 21 now, just about ready to graduate college, but I still have my struggles with self harm. Cut hadn't left my mind since the day I found it five years ago. I found a used copy for cheap and on an impulse, I purchased it. It's been sitting on my shelf for months waiting to be opened. Today I finally read it.

It's an extremely short read at only 151 pages. I read it in a matter of hours. I think that, as I've read in many other comments, reading this and being critical of the book as a self harmer (active or not) is difficult. To someone who has never hurt themselves as Callie had, everything may seem like an accurate representation of cutting and what it's like to cut. In all honesty, I really did relate to Callie sometimes. Specifically when she claimed to be a bad person but had no idea as to why. I felt that.

However, I think that it's just a bit vague in terms of the WHY. I wish that Callie's therapist had helped her to realize what the cause of her cutting was. I think that it's pointless to ask "why do you think you're cutting" and then end there. Sure, psychology can be difficult to understand, especially for a 15 year old girl, but I personally think that both Callie and the readers would have benefitted from a genuine explanation about self harm.

My other issue is the treatment facility in which Callie stayed in. About 3 years ago, I was right in Callie's shoes, experiencing exactly what she was experiencing. I could be wrong, as every hospital is different, but most facilities wouldn't let you get away with shoving uneaten food into napkins and throwing up in the bathroom, especially not for a patient with an eating disorder. When I was treated, those with eating issues were accompanied to the bathroom and had to sing their ABCs for the attendant to ensure they were not purging and napkins/trays were always checked before being thrown away. These are just technicalities, I suppose, but for someone who has actually experienced this situation, it takes away some of the credibility of the story.

All in all, I by no means hated Cut. Really, I enjoyed it and I think that Callie's character had a lot of potential. To me, it just seemed a bit underdeveloped and a little too vague. I always hope for a sense of understanding in books about mental illness and I don't think this one hit that.

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carsonedfors's review against another edition

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dark sad tense

Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.25

extremely triggering, does nothing to actually inform about mental illnesses. hospitalizations aren't like this. me and so many others have read this just to trigger ourselves, there is no need for a book like this

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thisbookishcat's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad

2.0

I've read many books about depression, mental illnesses, and people in these sorts of situations. I am also someone who has experienced many of these thoughts and situations in my youth (which is when I read this book), and I feel this is not at all an accurate representation of what it is like. This feels like someone wanted to write a book and capitalize on the fact that these sorts of novels were selling very well at the time. I don't feel that the author has ever experienced anything like what is described in the book, nor did she talk to anyone who had these sorts of experiences. Honestly, it felt more like she read a source about depression and self-harm from the late 90s or early 2000s, when people still weren't that open about what was really going on inside their heads, and rolled with it.

I would not recommend this to anyone who is looking for material they can relate to, or material that they want to read to try to relate to someone they know.

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taliatalksbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

I think this book is incredibly important to talk about especially as we move in to the winter season (at least where I am in New England!). The topics of Cut by Patricia McCormick can certainly be reason for concern, but the way the topics of self-harm and mental health are handled here are actually quite tasteful. While I’m going to be giving this book a HUGE trigger warning, as it is a little graphic for some readers and may cause trauma, I do think having an understanding of what cutting or self-harm means is an important lesson in mental health many are lacking. Individuals who self-harm can struggle finding help, since admitting you inflict pain on yourself to a stranger can be scary, especially if it is a new therapist or councilor. This book follows Cal, who struggles with speaking about what she does, why she does it, and how to get help to stop doing it. While the important part of this journey is the final step for Cal, it’s important for us as readers to see the steps Cal needs to take to get there, or else the ending wouldn’t mean as much. So while I would definitely caution against this book for less mature readers due to the heaviness of the topic, I think this book is an important middle-hound adult book in terms of understanding mental illness in the face of self-harm. 7.5/10 stars

As a page that wishes to ensure the safety of my followers and people who see my posts, I also want to say that, if you, or a loved one, are struggling with your mental health, there are a ton of digital and in person resources across the world that can help, including the National Lifeline for Suicide Prevention (which you can call at 988). You are not alone and you are never beyond help. Call, reach out to someone you trust, and check in on your loved ones.

Content Warnings