Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Strange Beasts of China by Yan Ge

5 reviews

kylewithann's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Strange Beasts of China seems like it sets up a format right away: each chapter and insular story about one of the species of beasts. Just as soon as you think you understand the formula, it immediately shifts it on its head. The intricate weaving of stories and world-building happening between the lines makes this a much more complicated novel than it originally seems. 

The narrative does not hold your hand. Sometimes I felt like I needed SparkNotes to understand what was happening the writing was so opaque. 

Mind the content warnings. I would put down the book between some chapters feeling emotionally and mentally wrecked. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Self harm, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

charlie_cheese's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.75

the grief of figuring out everything too late and the humanity of the other........ great themes in this guy

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Gore, Self harm, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Forced institutionalization, and War

theatrix's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a quick and engrossing and thought-provoking read, but also challenging, both due to the wide range of disturbing themes (there are many, but most are touched on pretty briefly), and due to the style, which doesn't baby you with explanations and trusts you to put pieces together yourself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

clarabooksit's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Moderate: Animal death, Genocide, Gore, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

the_literarylinguist's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Magical realism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Suicide, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Mental illness, Self harm, Blood, and Vomit

Minor: Forced institutionalization