Reviews tagging 'Death'

Pessoas normais by Sally Rooney

303 reviews

jazzuar's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol

itsaromance's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

Expected a romcom, found a deep and emotional story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

Rooney is such a good writer, and I love her style! I just wish the ending wasn’t so ambiguous and abrupt, and I wish I had gotten to see Marianne blossom at least as much as Connell since the book was supposed to be about the both of them growing up, growing apart, finding each other again, etc. But it was pretty much all about Connell and then sometimes Rooney remembered that Marianne has thoughts and feelings, too.

Marianne and Connell’s relationship is so fascinating though. It is so incredibly toxic, yet they clearly belong together at the same time. I think that their relationship is realistically portrayed, and I could sympathize with one or the other of them at different stages in their lives and their relationship. I think that is a testament to Rooney’s writing: feeling like I want/need to evaluate the characters, to pick a side, and to sympathize and empathize with them and why.

However, I hated the ending. Ambiguous endings infuriate me, especially when the ambiguity suggests what it suggests here. We’re really ending with

Marianne staking her worth on her on-again, off-again boyfriend and putting him above her and “letting him go” so he can, what? Some bullshit about how she’s a springboard from which his life can “truly begin”

?

Before I read the last ⅓ of the book, I was expecting to give it a 4 out of 5, but seeing Marianne’s storyline and the ending get fumbled leads me to give it a 3 out of 5.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

itsbumley's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent

komiification's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

Completely devastating how people can love each other so much yet can continue to hurt each other. Can never really talk to each other. Alongside this theme, as well as other points relating to genocide (which is still, upsettingly, relevant to today), and the way people now engage with literature without this political edge, this is, easily a modern classic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Genocide, Racism, Xenophobia, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

hannahreadsawholelot's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.0

This novel made me look at the relationships and trauma I've experienced in my own life, and really assess how I'm dealing with those things, and reframing my life, motivations, and mentality surrounding them. I think everyone should read this book, as it discusses very important things, but it is not an easy read if not prepared to look inward. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

mockingjayx16's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

0.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, and Classism

kianau_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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? Yes

4.0

*Reread 
This book is one big ass trope of complicated relationship with poor communication. 

Marianne deserved so much more in the beginning. 

“I’m not a religious person, but I do sometimes think God made you for me” is one of the best romance quotes. 
“People can really change one another”

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness

iamaprettyflower's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.75

I wish the characters would just talk to each other, because it constantly feels like they're purposely not understanding one another. It made me want to reach into the book and shake them for being so self-centred and emotionally blind. 

Also, Sally Rooney not using speech marks was an artistic choice that took a while to get used to?

Overall, I really wanted this book to be amazing as I've heard so many good things, but it just didn't hit the spot. I wanted to see the characters emotional intelligence grow, but it never happened. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

katelyn_stark's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail