Reviews

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

ellelikeslit's review against another edition

4.75

The fact that I keep gravitating towards and highly rating books about mental illness is probably an indicator of some larger issue I should address (go to therapy??). I think I’ll just continue to read these books for right now. I know that they don’t name Martha’s diagnosis, but I’m leaning towards Schizophrenia, anyone else? Like Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler, it’s nice to see that such a life altering diagnosis can have a happy ending.

cherrycepheus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

jaclyncrupi's review against another edition

5.0

Damn I loved this – make sure it’s on your wishlist (Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason). It’s an anti-love love story. Mason has managed to configure a novel about women’s mental health and self-sabotage and instead of using high literary stylings as Moshfegh or Broder would she’s utilised romance novel tropes and just turned it all on its head making for very accessible and downright delightful reading and yet she’s still kept some of the pathos and darkness. Wildly impressive and so damn satisfying to read. It ultimately filled me with hope which is really saying something given the week I’ve had.

1000journals's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I’m mentally ill!!!!!!

ms_jo's review against another edition

3.0

Quite intense and it took me a while to get through it, but there were definitely elements of this book which really resonated with me. Not quite as 'gripping' as other books of a similar nature -i.e. female mental health/motherhood/midlife crisis (some key themes) it felt like it did just slightly... plod... But, sometimes, life does just plod and so it certainly captured that.

The ending did feel a little too neat and a little too quick though.

jesslp's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful informative inspiring sad 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

3.25

tchtramcd's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

rowanrelph's review against another edition

challenging dark funny inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

lizeylu's review against another edition

5.0

It is a very real book, describing mental illness in a very raw way. I really did enjoy it though and found some of it relatable and some of it very interesting to think about.

hannchilada's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective 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

5.0

The title really says it all…I cried after. Mandatory reading for anyone searching for a therapist, probably.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Miscarriage