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Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
47 reviews
mikathereviewer's review against another edition
dark
slow-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
2.0
Literally nothing happens in this book. We get thought-provoking questions, but never answers. We get a little bit of plot (barely) and get no answers and rather plot holes. We get a character-driven story that has flat characters. There were over 40 characters but we only got the names of about 10 and only any information besides that of 3 or 4 (including protagonist!). But weirdly we get explained with great detail how almost all 40 people died instead of just moving on and perhaps trying to make the pace a bit faster in the book as literally everything was slow-paced and even major events weren't faster than medium-paced. You can't tell me that this book was fast-paced. 'Cause so many things repeat itself, especially near the end, which by the way is A LOT dragged, instead of ending it sooner. We get to know due to the protagonist not knowing these things what genital body parts are, where they are, how to write and how to read and so much more but actual questions (which I don't mention to not spoiler) were NEVER answered. One could say it's due to the book wanting us to think, but honestly it feels more like the story wasn't really finished or thought through. I get it when we should get our own answers for thought-provoking questions, but for the plot of this story? Plots are supposed to be explained and as I said, while reading it felt more like a unfinished or not thoufht through story than actually wanting us to make up our own theories.
I gave it 2 instead of 1 star as we get 1 plot related thing actually answered (even though I didn't think about it that much and was rather useless, but we get at least 1 answer so that's fair I guess). I also gave it 2 instead of 1 star as the beginning wasn't actually that bad. The whole though provoking questions and the backstories of that happened before the story started was interesting. And the consequences and rules were interesting too and they also somewhat got explained or we could at least make up our own theories about it, which in this case (since it wasn't a major thing) was actually cool.
15. July 2024
I gave it 2 instead of 1 star as we get 1 plot related thing actually answered (even though I didn't think about it that much and was rather useless, but we get at least 1 answer so that's fair I guess). I also gave it 2 instead of 1 star as the beginning wasn't actually that bad. The whole though provoking questions and the backstories of that happened before the story started was interesting. And the consequences and rules were interesting too and they also somewhat got explained or we could at least make up our own theories about it, which in this case (since it wasn't a major thing) was actually cool.
15. July 2024
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Cancer, Self harm, Terminal illness, Blood, Excrement, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Suicide, Dementia, and Abandonment
kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
3.75 stars rounded up!
I think I would’ve liked to read this as part of a class; there’s just so much to unpack as a single reader that I’m coming up short!
Reading this was enjoyable, and surprisingly quick! I’d like to read books influenced/inspired by this one, as I think it is a very cool, specific sort of speculative/sci fi that I don’t see often, but would like to
I think I would’ve liked to read this as part of a class; there’s just so much to unpack as a single reader that I’m coming up short!
Reading this was enjoyable, and surprisingly quick! I’d like to read books influenced/inspired by this one, as I think it is a very cool, specific sort of speculative/sci fi that I don’t see often, but would like to
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Suicide and Grief
alisonfaith426's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization
jess_orjess's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
This book was a lot more enjoyable than I imagine, even despite the fact the second half of it was centered around nomadic journeys, and eventually the acceptance that simply nobody will be found, nor will she experience anything different.
I like the pacing; it was complicated for me to explain, as at some points, it was fast and skipped periods of several years, and at other points, it was slow. The lack of action, however, made the majority of it feel slow.
I also liked the philosophical ramblings, the irony of the end, the dwindle of hope present.
I’ve only rated it 3.75 simply because there truly wasn’t a lot of anything in the book, which was the point I know! But still, you go in expecting a great forest of adventure adventure, and find only green grass and shrubs.
I like the pacing; it was complicated for me to explain, as at some points, it was fast and skipped periods of several years, and at other points, it was slow. The lack of action, however, made the majority of it feel slow.
I also liked the philosophical ramblings, the irony of the end, the dwindle of hope present.
I’ve only rated it 3.75 simply because there truly wasn’t a lot of anything in the book, which was the point I know! But still, you go in expecting a great forest of adventure adventure, and find only green grass and shrubs.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, and Grief
Minor: Physical abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
ameliasbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
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
3.25
As much as I appreciate and enjoyed the ideas in this book, the execution didn't really click for me. Even without knowing the author's professional background, it would be quite obvious to notice that there was some psychoanalysis stuff going on.
The writing was okay, but nothing to write home about, which I probably expected more of, because of all the praise this book received lately.
There were some interesting questions raised to think about and I am reading a lot of bleak and depressing books, so I had no problem with this story being as plotless as it was.
I can also love an apocalyptic book in which the reason for it all is not explained (looking at you The Road), if this is not really what the book is about.
You could argue that this is also not what this story is about and you could just read everything as a metaphor for misogyny and patriarchy and to raise some big questions about resilience and the surving of the human race (women in particular).
However the way the story is build, it is a weakness of the book that not at least some of the questions are answered, because this would have only made the novel stronger. And I couldn't help but think that the author simply didn't want us to know, but that she didn't know herself, because that wasn't the focus of the story she wanted to tell. But authors should always have all the answers to their stories, even when they are holding them back from the reader, because otherwise it always shows.
The writing was okay, but nothing to write home about, which I probably expected more of, because of all the praise this book received lately.
There were some interesting questions raised to think about and I am reading a lot of bleak and depressing books, so I had no problem with this story being as plotless as it was.
I can also love an apocalyptic book in which the reason for it all is not explained (looking at you The Road), if this is not really what the book is about.
You could argue that this is also not what this story is about and you could just read everything as a metaphor for misogyny and patriarchy and to raise some big questions about resilience and the surving of the human race (women in particular).
However the way the story is build, it is a weakness of the book that not at least some of the questions are answered, because this would have only made the novel stronger. And I couldn't help but think that the author simply didn't want us to know, but that she didn't know herself, because that wasn't the focus of the story she wanted to tell. But authors should always have all the answers to their stories, even when they are holding them back from the reader, because otherwise it always shows.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, and Deportation
Moderate: Mental illness, Excrement, and Dementia
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
rowanelisa's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
miapisanos's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
what a special novel. has shifted my brain in a small yet permanent way to approach life with more purposeful gratitude.
Content Warnings
Minor: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
infectedarea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, and Murder
shaleen64's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Ordinarily a book that poses questions and then leaves them unanswered is frustrating. However, in this instance it leads you to the point of the book which is to consider what makes a human, human.
Aside from dystopian it is difficult to define the genre of this book however I think it’s a book most readers should read as it is unlike anything else.
Aside from dystopian it is difficult to define the genre of this book however I think it’s a book most readers should read as it is unlike anything else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicide, and Terminal illness
allyem_reads's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Grief