Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Mutterschaft by Sheila Heti

4 reviews

cleotheo's review

challenging inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

I expected a book that discussed the decision of wether or not to have children. 
I didn't expect the way it did this -it gives different perspectives but it doesn't try to be objective- and that it discusses motherhood beyond that decision.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Grief, and Deportation

Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and War

emmagreenwood's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

clevermor's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

If you have mommy issues, you'll either love or hate this book. 
(And if you see yourself in the narrator's relationship with Myles, please break up with them im begging you.)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Homophobia

The narrator is pretty homophobic and has a fundamental misunderstanding of what gay and lesbian relationships are like. She is also pretty consumed by internalized misogyny and her toxic relationship

hmatt's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

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

1.5

I really wanted to give this book a chance because some of my most-trusted book people recommend it - and this is the only reason I actually finished it. I found that I really don't get along with the experimental writing style, in addition to other critiques.

I get that this is "technically" fiction, but to call it a novel would be misleading. It's a thinly-veiled (bad) memoir with a bit of spice thrown in. It sort-of masquerades as a thought experiment, except the experiment is stupid and no real insights come out of it. Probably half the book involves the narrator flipping coins and taking the "yes/no" result as divine wisdom.

I will reiterate: I really wanted to like this. I'm someone who does not want children and is extremely interested in what other people who don't want children have to say. But this work just doesn't say anything to me. The narrator's observations felt whiney, recycled, and cliche. Such a disappointment. 

The chapter that I was actually the most captivated by was the one discussing mental health... so there you go. I'm not sure that one section was enough to convince me to give Heti another try, though.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

Minor: Toxic relationship

CWs are not comprehensive