Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

We Are the Light, by Matthew Quick

36 reviews

girrllie's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Beautiful and sad. If you’re sensitive, be careful. It gave me nightmares. But Jung would say, “Let’s take at look at them.“

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child abuse, Gun violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Suicide

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Toxic relationship

emviolet's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

This is difficult to give a star rating. In terms of quality of writing, I thought it was good. There was a lot of symbolism and research into Jungian psychology. It was well written. It was overall approachable in tone. 

But in terms of the story itself…I just wasn’t entirely invested. There was a certain distance between the reader and the story. Maybe that was purposeful. I had trouble feeling connected with the characters and their pain even though it was a very sad book. I think I’d probably give it a 4 for quality of writing but more like a 2.5 for my attachment to the story, so maybe a 3 overall is good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Death

brynstonehouse's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.0

As a therapist myself, this book was initially a struggle to read. Especially as it reminded me of some of my previous highly codependent clients. But the last 50ish pages really turn it around and redeemed that aspect of the book.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

shyleek's review

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-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

5.0

I have to admit that the writing style threw me for a loop and I didn't know how I was going to feel about it. The more I read though, the more I wanted to read. 

This book deals with some deep concepts including loss, grief, healing, and family trauma just to name a few. It will take you on an emotional roller coaster but it is worth the read. 

There are some big triggers including murder and gun violence. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Child abuse, Blood, Violence, Self harm, and Emotional abuse

laura_berger's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

myinfinitetbr's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-paced

4.5

 Lucas lives in Majestic, PA, a town recovering from a recent tragedy. Townspeople call Lucas a hero, but he doesn't see it that way.
Everyone's healing (or not) in different ways. Lucas looks forward to nightly visits from his deceased wife, and writes letters to his Jungian analyst Karl.

I wasn't expecting this small book to pack such an emotional punch. I loved that it was written in the form of unanswered letters from Lucas to Karl in the wake of this town tragedy, slowly unveiling the tragedy itself and its aftermath.

It was such a timely story, and exemplified an alternate way to heal through grief and come together in situations that are often divisive. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Murder, and Gun violence

lindseygilger's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Gun violence, Murder, Child abuse, and Stalking

hesticht's review

dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Gun violence

carmenvillaman's review

challenging dark reflective sad fast-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Mass/school shootings

katergirl12's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

Despite difficult circumstances described in the book, the real heart of the story is about recovery and hope. That art, kindness, connection with others can heal us from even the deepest wounds.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Emotional abuse