Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

183 reviews

lmjones's review against another edition

I got about half way. It took me a minute to get interested in the story from the get-go, so I actually started watching the mini-series to see if it would spark more interest or if the story just wasn't going to be my jam. It did spark interest. I like seeing the difference between the original novel and the adaptation, but in the end, finishing the mini-series (I don't care about spoilers, so this wasn't a big deal to me) cemented my decision to not finish the book. I loved aspects of it - obsessed with the portrayal of an artist at work that actually felt based in reality, good character development, excellent writing - but overall, I felt like it was just going to be too depressing to finish with multiple messed up mother-daughter relationships, so much self-righteousness, and without much hope of redemption or repair. The book does touch on motherhood being difficult and the way traumatic events related to motherhood can effect the future relationships with the children involved in that trauma. I would say that's what the story ends up being about. But I personally appreciate a little more merciful writing for all the women trying to be mothers and messing it up along the way. I craved reconciliation for Elena and her children, and even between MayLing's biological mother and her adoptive parents (which by the way, this story feels pretty insensitive to the adoptive parent community.) It just seemed like there was no hope for moving forward. Not my kind of fiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Miscarriage, Abortion, and Abandonment

lilybarna's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

3.75

The ending picks up quickly and makes the book for me. I felt so much build up and for the first 2/3 of the novel I felt I was missing something, but it all comes together at once for a final 1/3 that kept me gripped. Big rec for people who want to explore mother daughter relationships, avoid if you do not!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Abortion, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Death, Grief, and Car accident

sundayfever's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense slow-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? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed this book, although it stressed me out. The author does a great job of portraying privilege and putting the reader into the headspace of people who hurt others. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, and Kidnapping

mercerhanau's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Stalking, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol

elisabeth888's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Amazingly written, delving into mother-daughter relationships and the mistakes and sacrifices that mothers make, both to help themselves and their daughters. Throughout the novel we see different paths to motherhood arise, both reluctant and enthusiastic, which cause us to question what motherhood truly is. Along the way Celeste Ng's novel lends itself to greater discussions about classism, racism, reproductive justice, and the concept of planned communities.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Classism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Cursing, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War

marissasa's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

4.0

This story delved right into the messiness and drama of motherhood for a few women in Ohio in the 90s, and followed their stories along with their children and family members. I really liked the juxtaposition of the typical WASP mom character in Elena against the artistic, transient, free-spirited single mom character in Mia. Their kids' behaviors and stories felt very true to the mothers they raised, and it was interesting to see from all of their perspectives in addition to the two mothers'. It was a bit slow in the first half of the book but it really picked up towards the end and I felt like the reveals made sense for the characters and I was invested in them at that point. I am definitely going to watch the tv show for this now that I have finished reading the book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Sexual content, Abortion, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death, Car accident, and Pregnancy

bree_of_the_woods's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death, Racism, Sexual content, Car accident, and Abortion

eldenreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

I put off reading this book for so long, and MAN do I regret that. This book was so deep, had so many levels, covered so many HARD THINGS, but it still felt like a slice of life novel somehow. The plot line with the McCullough’s and Bebe was absolutely heart-wrenching, and the END! Ugh. Please read this book. Don’t be like me and put it off. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infertility, Racism, Abortion, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Child death

ttorisaurus's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Cancer, Death, and Kidnapping

koobone's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Xenophobia, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury