Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad

57 reviews

bendercath's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

After seeing the author’s husband Jon Batiste in concert, a friend recommended this book. I had high expectations and dove right into it. 

The title is about “two kingdoms” and it is basically two parts itself. I was very drawn into the story of Suleika’s cancer experience. It helped knowing how the story ended … but I had no idea how difficult and brutal this could be! (Thankfully!!!) In fact, I do not know if I could personally face such difficult physical and psychological challenges. Brutal really is an understatement!

This section of the book had incredible insights and self-awareness. I mean, the whole book is filled with insights and self-awareness but this section was particularly thought-provoking.

The second part of the book was a travelougue which was also interesting but a little less impactful for me. It still held my attention with descriptions of the people she visited after they had contacted her during her illness. 

One thing I couldn’t get over was how she broke up with Will. His dedication to her was quite impressive and uncommon. One scene in the book that broke my heart was when she threw the glass globe filled with colored sand that had been a gift from Will’s parents. Wow. That hurt. Of course, Jon Batiste seems like a great partner and I am very happy that she is happy. But I really liked that Will guy.

I listened to this as an audiobook which has Suleika as the narrator and was excellent.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer and Medical content

vanesst's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Grief

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Infertility, Suicide, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

joanna_banana's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

This was an incredibly well written and moving memoir. Took me back to my own cancer experience and challenges finding yourself back in the kingdom of the well. Anyone who has struggled with loss or grief, depression or anxiety, illness, and heartbreak, could get something out of listening to this book. Beautiful <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Terminal illness, and Grief

Moderate: Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicide, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Excrement and Vomit

ivi_reads_books's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

With beautiful prose the author depicts what a potentially terminal diagnosis and years of treatments do to a person and the relationships to the people around them. She not only writes about her suffering but also how she comes back to life

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, and Grief

Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol

Minor: Infertility

pswhite7's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

4.0

Brutal at times 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Vomit, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Suicide

nburkk's review against another edition

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Drug use, Infertility, and Vomit

bmpicc's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Beautiful writing. Relationships, grief, growth... This had a little of everything, including a dog.

What I appreciated was the honesty when reflecting on her relationships, how her diagnosis & treatment affected those trying to support her. As a person who seeks out books on grief, I loved the perspective after. Grieving the illness... who am I if I am not sick?

“Grief isn’t meant to be silenced,” she says, “to live in the body and be carried alone.”

“Perhaps the greatest test of love is the way we act in times of need.”

“Love the people around you. Love the life you have. I can’t think of a more powerful response to life’s sorrows than loving.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Infidelity and Grief

mamaofperfectpayton's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Medical content

themissyreads's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.5

This book is 60% cancer 40% road trip. Which is fine i just wish it wasnt marketed as ‘a girl figured out how to Live Again after surviving cancer’ bc while thats the Point of the book and the most enjoyable part its really the minority of the page length. And check trigger/content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Drug use, Infertility, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Gun violence, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, and Vomit

Suleika meets a woman whose son ended his life. No details of the attempt itself. Suleika meets a death row inmate who has been involved in gang violence. gun-related self-injury described. Murder implied/referenced. Drug addiction implied/referenced. Suleika consents to sex even when painful and resulting in injury. Injury is briefly described. Suleika takes prescription drugs to deal with emotional pain during verbal fights with a partner. Mentions of cancer patients using marijuana medicinally.

kepompili's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Alcohol