Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Maura Spiegel

3 reviews

fakeppy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

alex2teeuw's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

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

3.75

A rather depressing read, it must be said. It's incredibly informative. You feel the despair whilst reading it. And it's strangely relatable to contemporary society; not because of destitution, starvation and consumption epidemics, not to mention the famous depiction of the slaughterhouses - in Europe and the USA these are (for most people) no longer pressing issues. Rather Sinclair draws attention towards the necessity for profit at all costs and the injustices of poverty in a world of plenty. Yet, for all that is rewarding about Sinclair's impressive and polemic descriptions, the novel felt at times a bit too slow. The arduous conditions of the working class in early 20th century Chicago were at times themselves labouring for the reader - maybe this is deliberate: after all, it is a realist novel. These experiences were lived.
The ending is abrupt. Hopeful though it may be, it does not relate the prospects of a brighter future to the tumultuous lives of the past documented throughout the novel. (who am I to criticise Upton Sinclair??). The Jungle is impactful and insightful, but it's not exciting, it's not gripping. And it feels like the story is unfinished. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, and Abandonment

roadki77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

The book that caused major legislation regarding the food industry's health standards. Also communist propaganda, but that only comes in at the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Alcohol