eilidhmacq's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Child death, Death, Self harm, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Blood
e11en's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Child death and Toxic relationship
corrina_milito's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death and Suicide
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
When Marianne was eight her mother disappeared and nobody knows what happened to her. Pearl looks at Marianne’s life and the impact that loss had on her. It is told from the perspective of an adult Marianne who is now a mother herself. The changing impact of grief and loss is a key theme. So too the elusive and changing nature of memories. At different stages in her life Marianne focuses on different memories of her mother, remembers different things about her and her disappearance, and processes and understands those memories differently. Mental health issues are covered in some detail including depression, post-partum depression, and disordered eating so proceed with caution if those are triggers for you. While the story has a big focus on mothering - the way Margaret mothered Marianne, the impact of the loss of that mothering, and the way Marianne mothers her own daughter, fathering also features prominently. Edward was quiet, mired in his own grief and the struggle of being a single parent, clearly trying his best, and brought a stable, reliable and loving presence. His patience with Marianne arguably veered too much into laissez-faire territory, yet he really stepped up when she had a post-partum mental health crisis. The blurb emphasises Marianne’s focus on the medieval poem The Pearl and her efforts to represent it through art. This does feature but not to the extent the blurb lead me to expect. The prose somehow managed to be both restrained yet poetic. I found it almost hypnotic at times. Each chapter begins with a section of a nursery rhyme or similar. I liked the way these referenced the atmosphere of Marianne’s childhood, and the way they formed an enduring bond between Marianne and her mother. This is a sensitive, subtle story. I enjoyed my reading experience but I’m not sure it’s a book that will stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Child death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
abbyeck's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Death of parent
Moderate: Self harm, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
branca's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
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