Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

6 reviews

directorpurry's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Car accident, Classism, Drug abuse, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Suicide, and Body shaming

Minor: Colonisation

elia_elizabeth_'s review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective fast-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Racism, Sexual content, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Vomit, Bullying, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Alcoholism

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing sad fast-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

4.25

With the allegations against Sherman Alexie, this book may be forever tainted by his legacy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Ableism, Mental illness, Bullying, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual content, Vomit, Cursing, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Blood, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abandonment and Medical content

There is also death of and , as well as a huge focus on the effects and shame of poverty.

jhbandcats's review

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A devastating semi-autobiographical story of a teenaged Spokane Indian who leaves the reservation to break out of the rez cycle of poverty and alcoholism. 

This book isn’t very long and it’s very funny, and it has short chapters that move really quickly - but it seemed to take me forever to finish it. I’d put it down and then I’d procrastinate rather than reading more. It was because it’s about the most painful story I’ve read in I don’t know how long. It would be sad enough anyway, but the fact that it’s based on Alexie’s experiences makes it heartbreaking. 

I know about Alexie’s sexual abuse of women and the harm that he caused. That infuriates me. For someone so talented and so representative of a minority to take advantage of his position in this way is worse than appalling because it gives a bad name to all in that minority. In addition to my anger, I have mixed feelings about recommending his book. It’s the same with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski movies - how do you separate the reprehensible artist from the spectacular art? Is that even possible? 

I don’t know the answer. I just know that this was a phenomenal book that makes me want to read everything else by Sherman Alexie. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Classism, Grief, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Death, Domestic abuse, and Colonisation

hannah_mariee's review against another edition

dark tense 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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Racism, Mental illness, Vomit, Death, Bullying, Alcohol, Cursing, Violence, and Animal death

dybbuk's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, and Vomit