Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller

31 reviews

jjyork's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Child death and Death

jraley_writes's review

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

luckyonesoph's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.25

I really love this blend of popular science and memoir, and I appreciate the author's attention to problematic beliefs and theories that often underlie scientific discovery. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death, and Rape

tiffthelibrarian's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

Pretty sure this is the first science book I've ever voluntarily read, and I have no idea how I stumbled into it, but I'm glad I did. Really interesting and Miller is a great storyteller, weaving her personal story into the science of taxonomy.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Child death

confuzzledsheep's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

2.0

If you are not a biologist, or even yet a Taxonomist, and want to reflect deeply on one's own sadness in the story of the author and David Starr Jordan, then this may be helpful for you. As a depressed biologist who's been long disillusioned with the myth of a Sole Genius Scientist and has already had many of the discussions within this book, I will rate it as passing. I found this book lacking in detail on David Starr Jordans life that I expected it to have- furter discussion of the problems with the Holotype model of taxonomy, the sheer brutality of scientific discovery during the time period. This book touches on those, but never gets as deep as it could. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, and Domestic abuse

readingpicnic's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Sexual assault

Minor: Infidelity and Self harm

justkellyann's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Rape and Xenophobia

inthemoonlight's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I genuinely have no words for much this impacted me. It is truly beautifully and completely done. 

My only warning would be to look at any trigger warnings if that's something that would impact you. I personally went in blind, not even knowing what it was about, and did not realize how dark things would be. Vital to talk about, but still potentially triggering nonetheless.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Genocide, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, and Rape

librarymouse's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

About a third of the way through this book, having googled David Starr Jordan, I was ready to finish this, as a hate reader if need be. Jordan was, without question, a horrible man. The atrocities he inflicted upon the world with his promotion of eugenics outweigh any good he may have done as a scientist by multiple orders of magnitude. Seeing Lulu Miller's hero worship of the man was off-putting, the more I learned of him. However, I ended up really enjoying this book as I read on, as Miller explores her own life alongside Jordan's, she brings along the reader. We learn of the atrocities he's committedin the same order she did while conducting the research for this book. It's still hard to have the hero worship of the young Jordan, with his love of stars and rescy jokes, when faced with the knowledge of his role in the American Eugenics movement.

Jordan's hands-on malicious acts, like his touring endorsement of eugenics and the possible murder by poison of his benefactor are completely bonkers. I am constantly amazed that people Revere him, while simultaneously understanding, as I, too have been in awe of the young man he once was.

This book breaks down every facet of Jordan, from his political, religious, and social beliefs; to his family life, addressing each idiosyncrasy with data driven research.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

marchcrow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Highly recommend the audiobook format of this book. Lulu Miller's expertise as a radio producer translates beautifully to the audio format. I listened to this on walks and took longer walks than usually just to keep listening. I cried, I laughed, I loved the people that wove throughout. The language is rich and beautiful, the story nuanced, the science sound (for now). Would recommend this to anyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Child death, and Forced institutionalization