Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Push by Ashley Audrain

201 reviews

nicole_cob_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Gaslighting

karen_vandyne's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

3.75

Probably a good explanation of motherhood, what it's like to have difficult child, but it didn't get me as much as her other book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, and Stalking

bookishjester's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.25

I loved the beautiful, simple yet elegant prose that this author used. Her writing inspired me, and so did her candor. The frankness of her writing was shocking but believable enough to keep my emotionally invested in Blythe's story and character development, through the unraveling of her family and partially her psyche. The ending was so well done, leaving it open ended but in such a foreboding way. I'll never forget this book. It comes with tons of content warnings, so proceed with caution if you are not in the right mental space, but it is a book that will make you feel all the emotions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Terminal illness

trisjt's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

hgresham's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Suspenseful, intense, and impactful. The Push is an addictive and easy read but keeps you wandering what is going to happen next. Blythe had an impactful childhood that makes her worry about becoming a mother. “The women in this family….we are different” different but similar in ways that you find out the more you read. This book will keep you hooked but also frustrate you because you just want someone to listen, it definitely highlights how little society listens to women and ignores the facts that are right in front of them.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness

kirkspockreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Grief, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, Self harm, Medical content, and Medical trauma

blumerlamotte's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The Push was disturbingly interesting. The author made the main characters relatable in their awfulness and realistic in their complexity. The author also did a great job of making the reader take turns, loving and hating the same character at different points in the story. I found the ending very unsatisfying. I’m curious what others think.

This book will leave you thinking "WTF did just read"!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Murder, and Pregnancy

rachel7588's review

sad medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug use, Miscarriage, Rape, Abortion, and Death of parent

hauntedantiqueshop's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.5

I’m kinda over killer kids tbh, it’s just a little boring. It’s the same formula— kid hates mom, kid grows more violent but only mom notices, dad refuses to believe mom, mom ends up being right. But this was a fun little read to get me out of the rut I’ve been in. It was also refreshing to not hate the other woman. I did really appreciate that!

At the end when Fox tells Blythe that he covered for Violet destroying her clothes AND HE LAUGHS ABOUT IT— yeahhh. Yeah. You’re done. She gets it from him.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt

Minor: Miscarriage, Self harm, Blood, Stalking, Abortion, and Death of parent

leaettaaa's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

Ashley Audrain's debut novel, The Push, is a gripping psychological thriller that will have you questioning everything you know about motherhood. With its compelling narrative and unflinching exploration of familial trauma, this book is not just a read but an experience that lingers long after the final page.

The story centers on Blythe Connor, a woman determined to be the loving mother she never had. However, her journey into motherhood is anything but smooth. From the outset, Blythe senses something is wrong with her daughter, leading to a harrowing exploration of nature versus nurture. Is her perception accurate, or is it skewed by her own troubled past?

Audrain masterfully crafts a narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat, questioning the reliability of Blythe's perspective. The tension is palpable as the story unfolds, revealing the complexities and dark undercurrents of parenthood. The psychological depth of the characters makes you empathize with their pain and struggle, while also leaving you unsettled by the ambiguity of their experiences.

The trauma that permeates the Connor family is depicted with such raw honesty that it will haunt you, keeping you up at night as you ponder the devastating impact of unresolved emotional scars. Audrain's prose is both beautiful and haunting, drawing you into Blythe's world and making it difficult to put the book down.

At just over 300 pages, The Push is a quick read that you can easily devour in one sitting. Its fast-paced plot and compelling characters make it impossible to look away, ensuring that every moment is filled with suspense and emotional intensity.

In conclusion, The Push is a five-star novel that will leave you questioning the very foundations of motherhood and the hidden darkness within family dynamics. Ashley Audrain has crafted a debut that is both thought-provoking and heart-wrenching, solidifying her place as a powerful new voice in psychological fiction.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicide, Abortion, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Self harm and Death of parent