Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

15 reviews

khaben31's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

emkschneider's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Child death, Incest, Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

anenome's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced

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

3.75

The story of Cussy Mary really drew me in, she was an extremely lovable and inspiring character.
The book is very informative, I learnt so much about the Pack Horse Library and blue people.
So many traumatic things happen at breakneck speed, it's incredibly emotionally affecting.
The audiobook narrator Katie Schoor was outstanding.

The writing style isn't very poetic and feels unsophisticated, it makes sense because the story is told in Cussy Mary's voice but it sometimes grated. 
The plot is repetitive;

someone bullies or assaults Cussy and somebody else will turn up and save her.

There was some oppression olympics saying anti-blue sentiment was worse than racism which was really unnecessary.

I would recommend this book as I learnt a lot from it and I enjoyed the rollercoaster of emotions it put me through.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

justmys's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Fatphobia, Incest, and Excrement

kimby666's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I learned about the Packhorse Librarians through this book. It is overall a sad read with the level of poverty and racism that was present during this time, in that area. It was well written and was very easy to follow. It moved at a good pace, and did a good job with descriptions of the setting and characters. Overall, an interesting read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, Death of parent, and Classism

amateur_bookworm's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Genre: Historical fiction

My rating: 4

My summary: Set in Kentucky in 1936, Cussy is a 19-year old packhorse librarian, living at home with her coal miner father after her mother passed away about a year prior. Cussy, also known as Bluett, has a unique condition that makes her skin appear blue. This story follow Cussy through a series of life events and the people she interacts with in this poverty-stricken area, as well as the tribulations of being treated as a colored person during this time. 

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book, mostly due to the narrator, she was perfect as Cussy. It was an emotional read at times, listening to the difficulties and tragedies both Cussy and other characters in the book encountered, as well as the triumphs they experienced and the small joys they were able to find. Before this, I was unaware of the “Blue People of Kentucky” and I was interested enough to research a bit on it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming and Sexual violence

Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty and Child death

someryarns's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Body shaming, Incest, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring fast-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? Yes

4.5

This story takes place in the mountains of Kentucky in 1936 and follows the life of a Pack Horse Librarian who takes books to those without access. She is also one of the historic blue people of Kentucky, so she deals with all of the disrespect and ignorance that goes along with 1930’s racist southern small town life. She values reading and education and knows that it is important for her patrons, especially the children, to be able to make a better life for themselves. As a former school social worker and someone who grew up in a small town in the south, I related to so much about her mission to help those in need and care and love on those you encounter. I’m about to start the sequel right now!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Stalking, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide

atringas's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring slow-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? Yes

4.0

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a fascinating and in depth exploration of a time and place in history often not spoken of. Although the main character Cussy is a creation of the author, the environment she exists in, as well as her condition and her job, did all absolutely exist. The novel is woven delicately and beautifully to convey the harsh reality and beautiful poetry of life in these rural communities at this point in time, without shying from the challenge and harshness of the same. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Hate crime, Incest, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

espressoreader's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Medical trauma