Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty

19 reviews

clarathromycin's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

4.5


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camsara99's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny informative fast-paced

4.5


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stevie's review against another edition

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dark informative reflective medium-paced

4.0


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whatannikareads's review against another edition

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challenging funny informative reflective fast-paced

4.25

im super terrified of death but im masochistic in that i can't stop myself from reading/seeing things about death, so this seemed like a perfect read for me. i think this is so informative--graphic at times, but conveys its point--does what the author wants to do, which is normalize death and decay. i think you should read this on an empty/settled stomach bc shit gets crusty! while informative, i did find the author's writing style a bit college-essay and she goes off on some tangents that are a bit simplistic (the luke thing). the chapter format got a bit predictable, but it doesn't deter from the meat of the information--just would've been perfect if it had been edited tighter.

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babayaga1989's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0


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zarazim's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0


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phdoyle's review against another edition

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dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5


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ainsleys's review against another edition

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dark informative fast-paced

3.75

A really interesting book, especially regarding the history of our relationship with death and the deceased. I enjoyed the sections about the few other cultures mentioned, I would've loved more on that. The personal anecdotes were also interesting and entertaining, however I felt like she was trying to prove how tough and quirky she is, just like she struggled to prove herself to her boss. Some of the descriptions felt like they were only added for shock value, almost as if to say if you can't handle it you are weak with an unhealthy relationship to death. 

The whole book had this judgemental tone, if you disagreed or had a different relationship with death, you were in denial, or even a bad person. For example, a family who chose a less expensive internet option for their nine year old daughter was judged and berated as being bad parents who didn't care. I can imagine nothing worse than after loosing a child having to go to a funeral home and speak with a clearly judgemental stranger about how much you're willing to spend on the funeral arrangements. All while the judgemental stranger tries to sell you add ons or extras that if you don't get means you are a bad parent who doesn't care. No thank you, I would rather grieve and process the loss surrounded by loved ones. Plus she lacked any empathy that the family may have been forced into such arrangements because they were unable to afford a more expensive, face to face option. 

I also felt like important issues were glossed over.
For example, her suicidal thoughts seemed to just vanish after she decided not to commit suicide, with no mention being made again. No mention was made about recovery, as if it is as easy as just deciding against suicide, which rubbed me the wrong way.
 

Overall this book still got a fairly high rating because of the interesting premise and subject matter, and the structure of being part memoir and part history examination. 

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noshelf_control's review against another edition

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dark funny informative fast-paced

4.25


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