serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
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
When I Ran Away is the story of Gigi, an overwhelmed mother who walks out one day, leaving her husband with their two kids, checks into a low budget hotel, watches Real Housewives, drinks wine and takes a sort-of bath. What it’s really about is the toll motherhood can take on women - emotionally and mentally as well as physically. It’s a vivid depiction of the PTSD after a traumatic delivery and of post-partum depression. It also explores grief, class, body issues, balancing motherhood with paid work, addiction, the difficulty of coping with change, cross-cultural dissonance, feeling like an outsider, passive-aggressive Mummy groups and more. Bannister’s take on the complexities of loving someone, the good and the bad, among the everyday hurly-burly of parenting young children was poignant and spot-on. This is hard-hitting raw and authentic, yet also sharp and funny in places. I’m sure most mothers will find at least some of it relatable. However, if your mental health is vulnerable, especially for any of the reasons discussed above (or if 9/11 is a trigger) this might not be the book for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, and Mental illness
internationalreads's review
dark
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Violence
eliselo's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
I truly loved this book. I cried in recognition multiple times. It was beautiful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma
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