Reviews tagging 'Dysphoria'

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

65 reviews

eddaderya's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Child abuse and Suicidal thoughts

lisettemarie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Dysphoria

allygogo's review

dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

lena_krysiak's review

challenging dark reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Dysphoria

alexdebello's review

dark mysterious 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

5.0

I’m at a loss for words after reading this book - trying to pin it down feels like an injustice. 

Emezi is a visionary, and is bringing to life unforeseen possibilities that run wild outside of boxes and pre-established norms for writers of color and writers at large. 

I cannot recommend this book enough, and personally plan on reading more of Emezi’s work as soon as possible. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Outing

Minor: Dysphoria

raneyak's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

It got a little confusing at times, but overall this book is a lyrical exploration of trauma and recovery. The main character has traits of some sort of dissociation disorder, but rather than portraying her experience through a psychological lens the book tells her story in terms of her cultural and spiritual beliefs.  

The story is told in a non-linear fashion, jumping back and forth in the timeline while different characters (personalities/identities within the main character) tell stories from their perspectives. This choice worked excellently for the story being told, with story pieces being told not in order of time but instead in order of personal significance. 

This book was quite explicit, though, and while the language was lyrical it still talked about self harm and suicidal ideation. Be very careful reading it if you have a history of mental health issues. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, and Dysphoria

Minor: Homophobia, Medical content, Outing, and Alcohol

poubelleboi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Veramente originale, ben scritto e interessante. "Acquadolce" di Akwaeke Emezi è un viaggio nella mente di una ragazza nigeriana col DDI (disturbo dissociativo dell'identità - se non lo conoscete, prima si chiamava qualcosa come disturbo della personalità multipla ma non è più corretto) che però non è trattato in maniera medica ma spirituale. I suoi alter sono dèi con desideri e obiettivi da dèi. Quando la protagonista si trasferisce negli Stati Uniti, loro combattono per tornare alle loro origini, in Nigeria, e dai loro fratellisorelle. Ed è troppo interessante leggere il loro punto di vista, che è allo stesso tempo esterno e interno. Veramente una lettura da dieci.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Blood, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

audaudaud's review

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

caelikean's review

medium-paced

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

5.0

This book left me breathless, torn, seen, changed. Awaeke Emezi is a master at this craft. Their insight is brilliant; their creativity is unreal. I highly recommend this book to anyone with one foot on the other side.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Dysphoria

helinae's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Self harm

Moderate: Addiction and Dysphoria