Reviews tagging 'Dementia'

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

10 reviews

lovelyandmorbid's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

Almost poetic, the defitintion of the fanfic tag "crack taken seriously", I thought it would be ridiculous then sad but its pretty upsetting the whole time and the humor comes out in small bits. Although completely different stories, tonally it reminded me of In the Dreamhouse, while that book achieves a lot more, this book feels like it cut from the same cloth in terms of style. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, and Medical trauma

ispeakpurple's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was way better than it had any right to be for a book about a guy turning into a shark. The writing itself was so beautiful, but beyond that, the story was heartbreaking in the best way. It used the bizarre transformation into a shark as an exploration of mental illness, terminal illness, love, loss, the meaning of life, the meaning of death, and the frailty of human connection. It was funny and it was happy and it was melancholy and it was devastating and it was all of those things at the same time. This is possibly the best book I've read in years. It seems weird, but honestly, it's worth giving a try.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

violets__books's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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: Terminal illness

Moderate: Violence and Dementia

Minor: Body horror

harrirl0's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Blood, Dementia, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death

dexlud's review

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

heshanks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

5.0

Gorgeous prose that doesn't collapse under its own weight.
Excellent use of silence/blank space
I often get tired of format swapping, but this moves between narrative prose and play scenes and does it to *fantastic* effect.

Main characters encounter peril but do not perish.

Weird premise, beautifully told.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Dementia, Abortion, and Death of parent

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

mxyfrzn's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Abortion, and Pandemic/Epidemic

mdavis26's review against another edition

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

rover_under's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

4.5

This book is a much faster read than the page count suggests, owing to its unique style. Some scenes are written as screenplays or diary entries that extend to only one or two sentences per page. I enjoyed the book. It was heartfelt and its allegory toward illness and death felt impactful and was used well. 

I don't know if I have the life experience to evaluate the book in this way, but despite the absurd premise of the book, the subject matter was handled well.

One thing I was confused by is the author's choice to hide Wren and her mother's mutation until late in the book. I initially excused it as being part of the past self that Wren had chosen to leave behind, but Lewis seemed to know all of it, though I can't recall it referenced in the first part of the book when he's going though his metamorphosis. It felt awkward and strange to have not been told since I'd initially thought it was Wren hiding it from the other characters.

Otherwise I think it's a fantastic book with a very engaging style, and I would fully recommend it for anyone who felt comfortable with the subject matter discussed.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Dementia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Abortion