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Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'
The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County: A Novel by Claire Swinarski
10 reviews
katiecentabar's review against another edition
1.5
Also the transitions between scenes were so abrupt I kept forgetting where I was.
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
kdailyreads's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cursing, Infertility, Mental illness, Racism, Vomit, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
ka_schulze's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
This book wasn’t all feel good feelings like it was marketed. It was raw with grief, abandonment, and ptsd
I felt like the characters had good depth but also really liked the feeling you got; small town where everyone knows everyone and by default there’s grannies gossiping.
Overall, this reminded me so much of life in northern Wisconsin that I get nostalgic about and miss but I’m thankful I moved away from the small town. Honestly, a great read.
Graphic: Mass/school shootings and Car accident
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent
cesca_natalia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Gaslighting
sar_tej's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, and Car accident
Minor: Cancer
read_with_riley's review against another edition
2.25
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Pregnancy
lilalhreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Car accident, and Pregnancy
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Author: Claire Swinarski
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: March 12, 2024
T H R E E • W O R D S
Snarky • Endearing • Uplifting
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Esther Larson has been cooking for funerals in the Northwoods of Wisconsin for seventy years. Known locally as the "funeral ladies," she and her cohort have worked hard to keep the mourners of Ellerie County fed--it is her firm belief that there is very little a warm casserole and a piece of cherry pie can't fix. But, after falling for an internet scam that puts her home at risk, the proud Larson family matriarch is the one in need of help these days.
Iris, Esther's whip-smart Gen Z granddaughter, would do anything for her family and her community. As she watches her friends and family move out of their lakeside town onto bigger and better things, Iris wonders why she feels so left behind in the place she is desperate to make her home. But when Cooper Welsh shows up, she finally starts to feel like she's found the missing piece of her puzzle.
Cooper is dealing with becoming a legal guardian to his younger half-sister after his beloved stepmother dies. While their celebrity-chef father is focused on his booming career and top-ranked television show, Cooper is still hurting from a public tragedy he witnessed last year as a paramedic and finding it hard to cope. With Iris in the gorgeous Ellerie County, though, he hopes he might finally find the home he's been looking for.
It doesn't seem like a community cookbook could possibly solve their problems, especially one where casseroles have their own section and cream of chicken soup mix is the most frequently used ingredient. But when you mix the can-do spirit of Midwestern grandmothers with the stubborn hope of a boy raised by food plus a dash of long-awaited forgiveness--things might just turn out okay.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I immediately added The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County to my TBR when I saw the cover and title. I predicted there would be older characters and a real sense of community, which I was correct about. Claire Swinarski delivers a feel-good read that was a pleasant surprise.
Told from multiple POVs, this novel is almost two stories within one and for me that detracted from the fullness of each one. At times lighthearted, it also touches on several heavier topics that really gave the story depth and allowed for reflection. Each of the characters felt familiar and fully developed. There was a real sense of community and coming together in the hard times. I especially appreciated the focus on cooking and the power it has in bringing people together.
The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County was an enjoyable read that felt like a hug and offered a reminder of the importance of building community and leaning on them when needed. I always gravitate towards books centered around food, so the recipes were a nice addition. It would make a good selection for book clubs.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• The Chicken Sisters
• small town settings
• recipes
• older characters
⚠️ CW: death, death of parent, child death, grief, gun violence, mass/school shooting, PTSD, mental illness, alcoholism, panic attacks/disorders, cancer, domestic abuse, pregnancy, identity fraud
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"If there was one thing the funeral ladies understood. It was the power of a goddamn casserole to lift your spirits."
"They all thought you had to be in love to commit. They didn't realize it was the other way around: that love came from commitment."
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy
PTSD, identity fraudsacrill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism
katevdz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness and Mass/school shootings