Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habeck

6 reviews

dexlud's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad 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? Yes

5.0

Oh my god. Shark Heart by Emily Habeck is possibly the most beautiful, tender writing I’ve read in my life. The story woven throughout these pages is split and muddled around and yet it is still a beautiful one none the less. We follow so many different people, all of which contribute to Wren, our main character, who went from a hiding girl to a strong woman.

There was pregnancy in this book, which had been hinted at for a while, but is still a surprise.

I believe the entire point of the book is to be a sort of comparison against dementia, especially with how the mutation progresses. The parallels are uncanny and it almost definitely reminds me of it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic

hocuscrocus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Man. If I were just rating part one, it would be an EASY 5. That was some of the most beautiful literature I've ever read. I was sobbing by the end. I can definitely understand why the format might not be everyone's cup of tea but I absolutely loved it.

Unfortunately, the book lost me in part 2. It's a lovely story, but it felt like too far a meander from the gut punch that was part one. If it were up to me, I would have had just the first part, about half of the third part, and the epilogue.

All that said, I whipped through this book like wildfire.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement

Minor: Infertility and Abortion

tetrootz's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Abortion, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

cait's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Self harm, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

prestonpre's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Confinement and Blood

Minor: Body horror

eviemayhem's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense

• 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 chose this as my Book of the Month, unsure if I would like it. As someone who has both lost a child and has a turbulent relationship with my mother, the premise spoke to me and I'm so glad I gave it a chance. The book is beautifully written; lyrical and flowing like a river. It is hard to believe this is the author's first book. There were so many points where I wanted to cry, and at times I didn't want to finish because my heart was breaking for Lewis and Wren. As someone who lives with a chronic disease, it is easy to see the story fold out from both sides: Someone living with a disease that is changing them at their core and that they can't stop, and the person giving up themselves to take care of a loved one. 

Bring a box of tissues.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

I tried to get the content tags right, but some of these things are so nuanced, that medical trauma, medical content seemed the closest I could find.