Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Pearl by Siân Hughes

10 reviews

nialiversuch's review against another edition

dark 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, and Abandonment

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

notthatcosta's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.75

An achingly beautiful book that is one of the most visceral and resonant depictions of grief and loss I've seen represented in literature. The magical realist elements are incredibly wistful and beautiful, especially considering the 'real world' aspects are so...real. 

I would give this 5* but the quality dipped so much in chapters 11-13 that it almost ruined the book for me. I guess I just find bratty, angsty teenagers insufferable in any and every form and context.

Overall, one of the most impactful novels I've read in recent memory, and to know that the story was very much informed by Sian Hughes' own experiences and childhood makes it even more special.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child death, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Pregnancy

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

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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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Self harm, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Child death and Toxic relationship

christinahill's review against another edition

dark funny sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Toxic relationship

Minor: Sexual content, Blood, Suicide, Miscarriage, Fire/Fire injury, and Panic attacks/disorders

emziesreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.75

I'm glad that the Booker longlisting of Pearl brought this Ali Smith-like meditation of the longlasting impact of grief. It's not the first book about an absent mother but it is one of the better ones. That being said, I'm not convinced that it is 1 of the 13 best books this year.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent

Minor: Toxic friendship, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders

fiberreader's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Self harm, Mental illness, and Death of parent

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. 

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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

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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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Self harm

Minor: Fire/Fire injury