Reviews tagging 'Death'

Wellness by Nathan Hill

28 reviews

bookishcookiemonster's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.75

Great exploration of humans, couples, and how each person's baggage doesn't just go away magically. 
Definitely had me reflecting a lot about my own life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Abortion

jcqln112's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Fire/Fire injury

ukponge's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Terminal illness, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Infidelity

kirstenw's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

5.0

I added this to my to read list because of so many stellar reviews, but I was hesitant to start it because I knew it was about marriage in middle age and I was worried that it would be a hopeless story. I’m happy to say (no spoilers) that it ends on hopeful note, and I’m so happy that I read this book. I was captivated by Hill’s writing style and I could relate deeply to the struggles and reflections of the main characters. If you enjoy family stories that bridge along period of time I think you will enjoy this one. Now I’m looking forward to reading his first book, The Nix. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death and Death of parent

smaravetz's review

challenging hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Bullying

jennipea382's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

lindsayerin's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Grief

Minor: Child abuse and Suicide attempt

breanneporter's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

I really enjoyed this. I was a bit intimidated by the length but I was hooked early, and I’m very glad I picked it up. Wellness follows Jack and Elizabeth, a straight couple who meet and fall in love as college students in Chicago in the early 90s, each having just escaped their trauma-filled pasts and crappy parents. We get their origin story and then it jumps twenty years in the future as they’re raising a young son and experiencing some marital trouble. Throughout the novel we go back and forth in time to reveal more and more relevant information about their respective careers and upbringings: Jack is an artist and adjunct professor hiding a particularly traumatic event from his childhood and Elizabeth is a research scientist interested in the power of belief and placebo effects who operates in a ethical gray area and tries to distance herself as much as she can from her wealthy and perfectionist family tree. 

The novel takes some interesting risks with style and storytelling that I really liked. It also isn’t always totally clear what it’s about, or at least it definitely doesn’t go where you as the reader think it will. It’s surprising and emotional and an intriguing read. I particularly liked the descriptions of Elizabeth’s career and of Jack’s childhood. I do think
Jack is a more sympathetic character, but I don’t know if that’s just because I personally relate more to his way of thinking and relating to his wife (and the world). I liked that we got both perspectives and that many other characters helped fill out the world. Somehow, after 19 hours on audio, I still felt like the ending was a bit rushed and unsatisfying (I wanted more!) and I’m not totally sure what to take away from this tale, but I know I’ll be thinking about it for a while longer and I’m really glad I read it. Recommend!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, and Grief

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

graceelllen12's review against another edition

hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Death of parent

tessleslie's review

emotional 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

4.75

I know it’s barely February but this might be my favorite book of 2024??? Def in my all-time top. 

This book was the perfect combination of funny, emotional, and existential for me. It’s about college sweethearts from the ‘90s navigating their marriage 15 years later —  dealing with raising a kid, parents obsessed with internet conspiracies and wellness fads, and questioning the concept of “completing each other” (and the resulting pressure they put on each other.) ultimately, it was also about coming to terms with defining what is the “truth” and how we create our own perceived reality. It was just really, really beautiful and poignant.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Minor: Suicide attempt