Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

4 reviews

erinreadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

What can I even say about this book? I don’t even know if I can say I “enjoyed” it because that implies I had an inkling of joy. Rather, I thought it was incredibly moving and captivating and I was crying nonstop for the back half of it. Reading this book felt like watching a car crash in slow motion while wondering which party was going to survive, if any. I haven’t really read anything that was like this book, from its style of prose to the tricky way the author writes that is constantly faking you out, making you think people are one thing when they’re really another, more complex thing. The characters all felt real and complicated and unpolished, which made the events feel all the more believable and heart wrenching. This book hurt to read, but I know I will be thinking about several passages I highlighted for a long time. 

Read if you like poignant, moving, challenging stories about people and what drives them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Racism, Terminal illness, and Alcohol

namelesssam_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

abitofapoet's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.5

The thing holding me back from a 5 star review is the fact that I would never read this books again. That doesn’t make it less of a masterpiece, because it is. But damn did it hit close to home. Please check trigger warnings before you read, especially if you’ve been a victim of or have had a family member or friend experience SA. 

Fredrik Backman has a way of throwing you into a community and really, really making you understand it. Almost as if you’ve lived there your entire life. I find that fascinating about his writing. There’s a LOT of characters, but you feel like you understand all of them. (even if you hate them) 

This story follows a team of hockey players, their families, friends, and the people who’s lives revolve around them in one way or another. It’s really, really honest. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Gaslighting, and Classism

Minor: Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

chamaeleontis's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Outing, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Self harm, and Gaslighting