Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq

18 reviews

ktrecs's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Vomit and Cannibalism

rotfaced's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

A deeply visceral and at times deeply upsetting story. I listened to it as an audiobook, which was recommended to me and which I would highly recommend as well; Tanya Tagaq lends her unique and beautiful narration to the text, bringing each poem, reflection, story and song to genuine life through her intimate and delicate vocalization. Between each chapter is her throat singing, which adds a new layer to the story as well. While I would like a physical copy of the book to revisit portions which stood out as poignant to me, I don't know if I would have enjoyed the experience as much had I began with the text. 

I found myself enraptured by the first 2/3rd of the book, engrossed in this world so unlike the one I inhabit. The final acts left me feeling deeply sad and even disturbed, but the journey through these segments was worthwhile. This book is very poetic and meant to invoke reflection, if not empathy; I encourage readers to approach it with no expectations and allow Tagaq's lyrical way of exploring life to animate itself in their mind. 

This is a book I couldn't stop listening to; I finished it in hours I carved out my day, finding every excuse to continue the story. That said, I do think it's worth pausing to reflect on scenes and chapters, especially if you feel you did not understand them (or, alternatively, if they resonated deeply with you). It is a heavy story, and with all heavy things, we must pause to rest between carrying them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, and Terminal illness

yavin_iv's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Self harm, Blood, Murder, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Minor: Vomit

eafiu's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Body horror, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism

lorrel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Grief

gabriellejane's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Vomit, and Grief

francestea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious relaxing sad medium-paced

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

Split Tooth is unlike anything else. I really enjoyed the vivid imagery and beautiful prose. I read a hard copy but afterward listened to Tagaq read sections aloud online which was much more special. It’s definitely inspired me to read more Inuit authors.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, and Grief

sarah984's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Parts of this book were beautifully written and lyrical, but the content was so viscerally unpleasant that it's hard to recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Blood, and Grief