Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson

24 reviews

stellahadz's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

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

3.75

I've wanted to read this book for ages (I read Monkey Beach for a university course a few years ago and absolutely loved it), but I decided to get around to it this year because I'll be teaching it to my grade 10 students. 

The writing was engaging, even though I'm a little older than the target demographic and I'm not usually a big magical realism reader. Some parts were very cringey, (but it's about a teenager, so that's to be expected), some were genuinely very funny, and others were heartbreaking. The pacing wasn't quite to my taste, but then again, it's part of a series, so maybe it makes more sense in that context. Eden Robinson is a great writer and I'd honestly recommend anything of hers. I look forward to seeing what my students think of this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Bullying, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Biphobia, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

marlephant's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer

grey_jayne's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad slow-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

3.5

Having seen the Trickster show before this, I thought I would learn more from the book. However, the narrative is so mind-numbingly slow and little happens until 75% of the way in. The ultra-dimensional beings and ghosts are fun but this story doesn't focus on them until much later.

No idea if I will pick up the next in the series, but it's not going to be for a while. This may be the first time where I recommend the adaptation over the original.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Self harm, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

manderine0's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

The time-line and person seaking can sometimes be confusing, but I think that's a purposeful device.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Vomit and Gaslighting

bradleyj's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I really really liked this. I felt like I was there in the story with Jared. Half way ish was the turning point in the book where I was like what is happening but wasn’t mad about it.

I was sad about nana Sophia, she seemed so cool, I’m sad she left

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Vomit, and Suicide attempt

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Gun violence, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Cancer, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Vomit, and Cannibalism

madmadmaddymad's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-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

5.0

Such a twisted, dark, intense story. I really loved Sarah. I found Wee’git to be very unsettling, even if he wasn’t in most of the story. 

It’s kind of a magical realism coming-of-age story, with the twist that of course, is there magic? Or are the characters just experiencing drug induced hallucinations? 

Well written and well executed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Drug use, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Stalking, and Abandonment

Minor: Incest, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

parasolcrafter's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

2.5

you know...i went into this book thinking i wouldnt like it as i HATE the only other book ive read by this author so i was pleasantly surprised to not hate it, but its not as if i liked it a bunch either :/
this book up until the last 7 or so chapters is just...a bunch of NOTHING happening aside from partying and drinking and drugs and horrible parenting and bad decisions on behalf of almost all the characters, and then its like everything starts happening simultaneously and none of it makes much sense at first because theres wasnt a gradual lead up of like...anything??? or, there was a lead up but it was so fukcing convoluted that it just ended up making things much more confusing. the hints that are dropped need hints to help understand them, i swear. the writing also isnt the best either. there are pockets of really good writing (i feel like the few snippets of poetry were really good, i would have liked more!!!) but for the most point its just kind of boring. and i guess its alright because this book is the first in a trilogy and it did sent things okay for more books, but just as the book is itself its definitely nothing special.
oh also i hated all the sexual scenes between the teens in this book. i dont wanna be reading about that!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Incest

atlas_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Abandonment

bibliomania_express's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death and Suicide attempt