Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Converses entre amics by Sally Rooney, Núria Parés Sellarés

63 reviews

samcanuel's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

As with the other Sally Rooney books I’ve read, I am deeply haunted by this book. Rooney’s prose is absolutely beautiful and somehow makes up for how much I hate all of the characters. Life is messy, as is this book. Check the trigger warnings!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Infertility, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

owenwilsonbaby's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

‘After that I put some cold water on my face and dried it, the same face I had always had, the one I would have until I died.’

I get it guys! I get it. Her written voice is compelling. Even when things got repetitive, I still found the character voices and emotional atmosphere absorbing. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Child abuse, Cursing, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy

rtjasa's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

andriaspyrou's review against another edition

tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Blood

Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy

shaleen64's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

3.75

Sally Rooney’s debut is no different to her other works in the sense that she creates fully realised and relatable characters. 

Whilst not a traditional romance, the book is an exploration of modern relationships. It is thought provoking, frustrating and relatable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Chronic illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Medical content

Minor: Infertility and Pregnancy

bowelhaus's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-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

Funny and full of drama. The characters feel like real people and you’re the normal friend listening to them tell you how they’re fucking up their lives.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Infertility, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

theliteraryteapot's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I have absolutely zero tolerance when it comes to adultery so obviously this was not a book for me. Yes, I understand the characters are meant to be very flawed and all that stuff. Okay and then what? It certainly didn't feel like any of them grew out of this. No character development whatsover and they all need therapy. Reading about privileged wealthy and culturally bourgeois white characters is not much interesting to me. They are left-leaning but their political discussions felt so very performative (reminding me of people patting themselves on the back after watching the tv show Dear White People). I've seen people debating on Rooney's writing style and I don't get why? There's nothing to say to it, it's easy to read and very accessible.

Although I have endometriosis, I don't think I can judge the representation that much because it can manifest in many different ways from one person to another. The only thing (maybe I'm nitpicking here), is that no you don't necessarily need a surgery to confirm a diagnosis, an mri scan is enough. And no, endometriosis is not just painful periods and infertility, it's so much more, there are so many other symptoms and different types of pain (outside periods and ovulations).
It's funny because on paper, Frances could have been my representation: bi, endometriosis, poetess, studying literature, financially struggling (except for the fact her uncle owns her apartment), and yet... Nothing worked for me. It's just not for me.

I'm glad it got me out of a reading slump and I'm glad to see endometriosis more in fiction. That's it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy

djenkin96's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad medium-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

3.75

I think it was just a story of repeated behaviours from all the main characters. There were sections of self development or self awareness with the intent to improve, but did any character actually develop ? In the end I didn’t even end up liking Bobbi or Frances or even Melissa. I’m not even sure I liked nick. A lot of loose ends at the end ? It’s  Like the author got bored, undid all the self-awareness and ended the book ? 

I did like the relevant topics And The nod to endometriosis.However I Feel the author  glazed over a large amount of obvious body image issues and an eating disorder ?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

bookishpsychologist's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

2.0

Unfortunately this book combined many of my least favorite themes: unlikable and selfish main characters, no quotation marks making it difficult to follow on the paper version, limited plot, and minimal character growth or development.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Chronic illness, Infertility, Mental illness, Self harm, and Classism

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Pregnancy

shlymiller's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Alcohol

Moderate: Miscarriage, Self harm, and Pregnancy