Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

6 reviews

bergha1998's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

The mystery was interesting and the characters were great; I just really didn’t care for the pacing or the way the plot unfolded. Basically, in the beginning of the book the main mystery is all lead up to, but when it finally gets to the thick of it all of a sudden we are going back into Maudie’s backstory. That parts, although interesting, takes up half the book. Then it gets back to the main mystery and it’s like whiplash. If the book had been written in chronological order it would have been far more enjoyable. 

Historic Mystery, War Trauma, Good Character Development

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

wordsareworlds's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

1.0

I went into this book with high hopes that were completely dashed. We're introduced to Maisie as she starts her own investigative practice, and after she "solves" one case that leads to further questions, we're suddenly transported back in time to get the entire story of her life. Somewhere between half and 3/4 of the book is this flashback, and then we're just as suddenly in the present again!

The "mystery" is completely flat, as is Maisie's characterization. She has no flaws whatsoever, is loved by all, is the smartest person in the room, and has a psychic sense of impending doom when someone is going to get seriously injured or die. Her "investigative" skills are all tell no show, except when she somehow gets detailed information on someone's mental state by imitating their physicality without them noticing, often despite them looking at her when she's doing it. 

It's unfortunate because the premise was interesting, and there could have been a lot more done with the aftermath of the first World War, but that potential was squandered here and I won't be subjecting myself to any more of these books.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and War

Moderate: Blood and Grief

Minor: Violence, Medical content, and Classism

tea_at_mole_end's review against another edition

mysterious sad slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder

Minor: Blood

knit_the_resistance's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I'm so glad my mom recommended this series. I think I will enjoy listening to them in order. I thought it was an excellent reflection of the impact of WWI on the lives of young people in Great Britain and made a sad context for the mystery. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

jeannine's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-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? No

4.5

What a start to a series. Not only do we have a fascinating investigation, there’s 100 pages of backstory that introduces Maisie and all of the relent characters. I didn’t expect to cry my eyes out over the personal part of the story. I’m so dehydrated that I need a glass of water!

The fast pace of the book had my flying through it - I finished in less than a day and am eager to gobble up the next installment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

rachaelbunny's review

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Well written but poorly edited. The first half of the book dragged so much that I nearly abandoned it. The chapters about how Lady Rowen met Monsieur Blanche or about Maisie’s childhood seemed overly drawn out. I understand why Winspear wrote them, but they should have been significantly trimmed in the editing process or had their information sprinkled throughout the story instead of taking multi-chapter breaks to have flashbacks unrelated to the plot.
I plan on reading the second in the series and I am hoping that it is better paced.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt