Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

A Short Stay In Hell by Steven L. Peck

5 reviews

charlottemarie17's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Death, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Terminal illness

zsabella's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.0

this is an impressive horror novella with a great sense of magical realism and existential terror that earns every bit of its ~100 page count. steven peck’s interpretation of jorge luis borges’ the ‘library of babel’ is unlike any version of “Hell” I’ve ever read or seen and left my head spinning. it proposes that Hell is one of infinite sameness in a seemingly infinite space, and that thought alone has ever so slightly pushed me towards dabbling in Zoroastrianism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual content and Violence

Minor: Cancer, Physical abuse, and Terminal illness

lecheeese's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

Thoughtful read! It can sway into stream of consciousness at times which was surprisingly a delight.

Anticipation is a gift. Perhaps there is none greater. Anticipation is born of hope. Indeed it is hope's finest expression. In hope's loss, however, is the greatest despair.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Body horror, Self harm, and Torture

Minor: Chronic illness and Terminal illness

h4ppycupcake's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

This was the most depressing and nerve wracking book I’ve read in a long time. I do not recommend reading this if you’re having a crisis of spirituality, or if you have general anxiety. It was well written, but at what cost to the reader? I feel uneasy now that’s finished. How does one pack such an incredible amount of existential dread and terror into only 110 pages? I won’t be reading anything else by this author, lest he sends me into a panic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, and Grief

acnienow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Thought provoking and probably my most annotated book ever! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Kidnapping, and Alcohol

Minor: Racism, Self harm, and Terminal illness