Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka

6 reviews

bon_xx's review

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia and Terminal illness

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

Minor: Child death

itschelseaw's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

What happens to our lives when our routines are suddenly taken away? When what tethered you to a specific reality or life is gone? In The Swimmers some of the swimmers created a new routine while others floundered and couldn’t figure it out.
One such swimmer, Alice, has had her routines seemingly disrupted her entire life, starting with the internment camps in the USA during WWII. Her adult life is disrupted by the death of her mother, then the development of dementia, and the closure of the pool. These disruptions to her life tumble into each other, and the ending is tender and heartbreaking.
Watching my father slowly, then rapidly, die was incredibly difficult, and it only took the span of 1 year. I can’t imagine years upon years of visiting your parent and knowing that things won’t improve but holding out hope that they will. The little things they did and loved and talked about that become the things that ultimately haunt you.
Tender and touching, especially at the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Dementia

Moderate: Miscarriage

tindin's review

emotional reflective sad

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Dementia, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Mental illness, Child death, Confinement, Miscarriage, War, and Medical content

Minor: Abandonment, Racism, and Xenophobia

venetiana's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Miscarriage, and Terminal illness

Minor: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Car accident, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Child death, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, War, and Ableism

alyssancoon96's review

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

A beautiful book that I can not recommend enough! I ugly cried through the whole second half of the book.
For me, 5 stars is "would read again", and I don't think I could bring myself to read this book again, because it was very sad for me personally. But I would still recommend it to anyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Dementia

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Miscarriage

jularcido's review

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia and Chronic illness

Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, and Miscarriage