Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

170 reviews

al_excellent's review against another edition

emotional hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

ojudson39's review

challenging emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Self harm

jenjennijennifer's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective 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

4.0

Strange like Ozeki’s other books I’ve read, but has a theme of parent-child understanding I appreciated. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use and Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

Difficulty in a mother son relationship.

where the son is almost taken from the mother

trvreooo's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

The prose of this book is definitely the highlight. Ozeki does so much interesting voicing and writing. The way she articulates the thoughts of different characters is masterful. The articulation of grief is downright hard to read at times, usually in a good way. Handling of difficult subject matter was not always my favorite, but not awful. I felt like the end was a bit abrupt.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Addiction

Minor: Sexual assault

alyal's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I ❤️ Ruth Ozeki! If you liked this book, you should read her other book A Tale for the Time Being. That's what got me into her books. 

I've been wanting to read her other books for years and I finally had access to this one and I'm happy but I want to read her other ones too!

This book is about a boy and his mother grieving the death of their loved one (his father, her husband). They both find different outlets for their grief and find ways to continue to grow even as they grieve.

It's very profound but isn't pretentious or obnoxious, which is Ruth's specialty. She always manages to tackle really depressing subjects in a hopeful way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming and Bullying

Minor: Self harm, Violence, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Murder, and Toxic friendship

withlivjones's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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

4.75

Every time I thought it couldn’t get any worse for this poor boy and his mum, surprise! It got worse! 

This book is simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming, about grief, mental illness, and the power of reaching out for help. Both Benny and Annabelle are imperfect and often make poor decisions, but they are still so sympathetic and well-written. They are such a realistic portrayal of a mother who is just trying her best and a teenage boy who is still figuring everything out about himself. I liked the meta, omniscient narration by the Book as well, it felt very similar to The Book Thief in the sense that the narrator knows exactly what is going to happen but is powerless to stop it. 

Overall, don’t be intimidated by this book’s size! The start is a little slow but I was surprised by how much I didn’t want to put the book down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Self harm, and Violence

hollydollyiow's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.75

This was a really beautiful book, one I think I’ll recommend lots and return to a few times.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

carolive's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

stormeno's review

emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Self harm, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and Mass/school shootings

sraddheya's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad fast-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

5.0

I really enjoyed this book even though it made me cry a lot. The author touches upon many sensitive themes but in a compassionate way that allows the reader to sympathise with, and even relate to characters who in real life might be judged harshly. I liked how there were moments each character did something the reader might find annoying or negative but within the context of the whole story, we are able to understand why they did so and how this negative act was actually done out of kindness. I am also amazed by the authors ability to weave together so many rich stories, perspectives, relationships and characters without the book feeling overwhelming and chaotic. The story explores primarily a young son and his now single mothers character development and recovery over the loss of the father/husband, and although I found it very emotional, it was heart warming, informative/reflective and I think will make me more understanding of others actions and relationships.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Self harm, and Alcohol

This book involves a lot of characters with varying mental illnesses and in tough situations, which for the main characters, is a reaction to a horrific death. However, I do think it's done in a way that the characters and their conditions are respected but may still be triggering for some readers.