Reviews tagging 'Infertility'

The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

11 reviews

chloeallegra's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense 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: Rape

Moderate: Miscarriage and Infertility

nyk4envy's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I enjoyed this book immensely. The writing and language was something to get used to, but once I did, I saw it for it’s beauty. A tragic story of pain and love and survival. It can only reflect on the current state of our world. Being prosecuted, oppressed, losing and grieving, finding yourself grounded by loves in your life. It was incredible to read, sometimes I couldn’t put it down. Sometimes I needed to put it down. I cried with the characters, I raged with them. 
Incredible story based on a far away tragedy and I couldn’t have asked for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Rape, Homophobia, Violence, Colonisation, Infertility, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Murder, Torture, Death, and Grief

starryforest's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

Spoiler

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i didn’t like the ending, but it was  realistic and dramatic 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Vomit, and Violence

thecatconstellation's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This was so hard to put down. Very compelling and moving. Good discussions of gender and the roles of women in society, the impact of Christianity on native people, and what unprocessed grief can do to people.

Very atmospheric and pretty gay.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual content, Grief, Sexual assault, Murder, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Body horror, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Infertility, Gore, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit

Minor: War

jazteen14's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Rape, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, and Misogyny

Minor: Blood, Infertility, Murder, Pregnancy, Suicide, and Terminal illness

laurataylor's review

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Animal death, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Body horror, Colonisation, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, and Murder

sarahfr1end's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Chronic illness, Vomit, Infertility, and Pregnancy

lynneliu's review

challenging informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, Death of parent, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Sexual content, and Torture

Minor: Classism, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Infidelity

nicnevin's review

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

This story is capitivating, almost as if by magic. 

That tasteless joke aside, its a beautiful piece showing how minor quibbles can lead to such devestating consequences. 

The relationships and social connections throughout are stitched together with a raw, real intensity. Its beautiful. 

A warning though, it can be intense so just a heads up! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Classism, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Violence, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Torture

mapscitiesandsongs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? No

4.5

This was easily one of the most bleak, depressing and aggravating books I've ever had the pleasure to read. 

I literally had to put the book down a few times because I couldn't handle it any longer. Nevertheless I quite enjoyed it, if you can call it that. The writing is beautiful and atmospheric. I was instantly transported into the rough and bleak landscape of Northern Norway. The characters are all well-written. This is especially true for the two main characters Ursa and Maren, but also for the kirke women in  Vardø. I wanted to jump into the book and strangle all of them. An author has to be very good in their craft for me to actually want to do that.  Loved the LGBTQIA+ aspect of the story.  I also found the ending quite fitting for such a bleak book.  A happy ending wouldn't have made sense and I appreciate the author for choosing the most realistic outcome. 

I can highly recommend the audiobook, which is read by Jessie Buckley. The way she pronounced all the Norwegian names and words really drew me into the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Violence, Colonisation, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Torture

Minor: Alcohol, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Infertility, and Infidelity