Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

55 reviews

kate_elle's review against another edition

mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, and Abandonment

Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

mogireads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death

jodar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.5

The novel was an enjoyable and easy read. The MC, Kya, is engaging, albeit a bit unbelievable in terms of practical plausibility and psychology. The ending had a melodramatic twist to resolve the mystery – for a while before that I had up to four characters I had suspicions about. At least I was right about one of them!

The novel focuses quite a bit on the beauty of the natural world, which weaves in well with the plot line. I thought the pacing of the plot was good, though more use of foreshadowing would have worked more powerfully. Also, the musings by the MC on evolutionary biology and human behaviour struck me as quite reductionist, and seemed to be a way of explaining away the characters’ actions without psychological depth or ambiguity. The interweaved poetry occasionally worked well, but more often felt a bit jarring.

Overall, if you don’t expect too much, it is a great “airport read”.

CW: Extramarital sex.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Confinement, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

kailiyahknight's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Blood

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Car accident, Death of parent, and War

willow_witch's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Infertility, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Injury/Injury detail

kgpierce's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious relaxing sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This is the first book I’ve ever read that’s based where I grew up (not exact but in the OBX). It is now one of my favorite books ever, a heartbreaking but beautiful read. The ecological and environmental imagery is magnificent. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, and War

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

user1681144's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I tried way too many times reading this book 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Sexual harassment

oozeloot's review against another edition

emotional sad 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? Yes

4.25

The court hearing dragged a bit on

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

wogslandwriter's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing 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? Yes

5.0

I did not know what to expect from this book when I started it. Honestly, it was beyond my expectations from the very beginning and it just kept going. I did not know how it was going to end.

I was pretty sure Kaya wouldn't go to jail, but I honestly did think that she had killed Tate. It made the most logical sense, but it just didn't seem like she had done it. It was definitely a surprise to have that twist at the end, but it all makes sense and it brings a sense of mildly juvenile wonder which I think really matches Kaya's personality because she was neglected for so long and stayed agoraphobic for her who life.

I laughed and cried reading this and it may be one of the best literary novels I have ever read. I am definitely interested in more books like this, with a focus on ecology and personhood. It is extremely good and I highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer, Child death, Infertility, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Car accident, and War

Kaya, the main character of this book is subject to extreme childhood neglect from and absent mother and alcoholic father. The book focuses on her abandonment and loneliness as it follows her story.

As a teenager she has a relationship with an older boy who is technically an adult for the later part of their relationship. As a young adult, she has a relationship with an emotionally manipulative young man where he is cheating on her and lying to her regularly. After breaking it off with him, he later chases her down and attempts to rape her. She defends herself and is able to escape him.

There are also graphic flashbacks to her father beating her mother and siblings and discussion of how her town is segregated with black people living in "colored town" separate from the white people. There is mild discussion of the racism of the era, but mostly it is simply treated as matter of fact as it is viewed through the eyes of a child.

mausi's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative mysterious 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? No

4.25

It took me a while to get into this book but about a quarter way through, it truly gripped me. I absolutely adored the world in which the book is set, and the author describes the marsh land and it’s biodiversity in such a gorgeous, detailed and magical way. I’m not usually the one to appreciate vivid scenery due to my aphantasia but Owens managed to create the world not only by visual descriptions but in a multisensory and emotional way which fully immersed me in the story. In addition, the book also had plenty other aspects that I appreciate, a strong character development, gripping plot and a diverse range of characters, intertwined with an educational twist. As an academic, I am astonished at the way Owens translated her academic background into a novel which further emphasises the importance of marshlands and communicates her life’s work further. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Bullying, Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Murder

Minor: Child abuse, Car accident, and Death of parent