Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

9 reviews

support_lesbian's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

Sometimes I come up with a numerical score for these reviews and sometimes I don't, is what it is. There more nuanced review below if you wanna read but this book is a hard do not recommend for me due to the 14 year old being groomed by the 18 year old gross shit happening here.

The writing style and the slow pace of the novel isn't for everyone I would say but I will give credit in saying that the author does know how to write and is good at my but the problem lies in the story itself. It had a good foundation and characters I really empathized with and were this a story written written by a person who has struggled with autism and schizophrenia and delusions these characters could have gotten the respect and pay off they really deserved to have but that wasn't given here. I can only describe as the way these characters with mental illness and addictions were being piloted by the story just felt off.

The best way I can explain it is that there was three different stories going on and the author didn't want to commit to any of them, which is fitting cause in the end the author had nothing to say about any of it..like there was no point being made. Goes to show whenever any author writes anything outside of themselves that research is one thing but being able understanding it is another.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Addiction, Grief, Mental illness, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, and Animal death

warning_about_sophie's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

Incredible and deeply moving. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Dementia, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Self harm, and Abandonment

Minor: Racism and Fatphobia

alicelalicon's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Grief, and Self harm

Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Bullying, Drug use, Alcohol, Medical content, Racism, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Body shaming, Sexual content, Ableism, and Cursing

Minor: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts

willows's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.75

 That was absolutely bonkers and had very memorable characters. Literally wack, it's been weeks and I still think about it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, and Mental illness

Moderate: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Grief, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Violence

Minor: Rape, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Racism

savvylit's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-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

The Book of Form and Emptiness is a deep dive into the ills of consumerism, overwhelming grief, literature as refuge, and misunderstood mental illness. The two protagonists of Benny and his mother Annabelle are beautifully and unflinchingly portrayed. As Ozeki unveils their individual grief, it gradually morphs into distinct mental illnesses for each of them. Annabelle's hoarding happens so gradually and logically (to her) that readers come to see it for what it is: an entirely natural & unsurprising reaction to her loneliness. Similarly, Ozeki presents Benny's symptoms through the lens of magical realism. This allows readers to empathize with Benny's burden - rather than pity or judge. Also, two of the book's secondary characters are houseless individuals. Readers get to know both of them as Benny does - which is to come to understand the circumstances and pain that led to their ostracization from society at large.

In addition to Ozeki's masterful and nuanced portrayal of mental illness, this novel is a touching love letter to literature and public libraries. By the book's end, Benny learns what many of us already know: that literature and libraries can offer an incomparable refuge and that everyone has a story to tell.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Self harm, and Addiction

Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Racism, and Fatphobia

Minor: Drug abuse

emmagreenwood's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Addiction, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual assault, Bullying, Car accident, Drug use, Medical content, Mental illness, Racism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

atomicbritt's review against another edition

One of my favorite books is "A Tale for the Time Being" so I thought I'd also enjoy one of Ozeki's other books. 
I appreciate the use of the book itself as a character, but couldn't deal with the slow meandering of the writing.
A lot of people seem to love this book, so maybe I'm missing out on something, but I just don't have the patience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Death of parent

Moderate: Xenophobia and Racism

prettycloud's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring 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

She had me with the intriguing premise, but this book delivers a nuanced look at mental illness, a thoughtful exploration of grief (both individual and the climate change/post-Trump Weltschmerz), and a celebration of love in all its forms. If I could distill this book into a single idea, it would be the forces that divide us and the ways we can connect in spite of them. This book has a lot of pain and disconnection in it, but it gave me hope that we can all somehow make it out of *gestures vaguely* all of this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Body shaming, Violence, Blood, Grief, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Cursing, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Sexual content, Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Sexual violence

Minor: Ableism, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Classism, Gun violence, Antisemitism, and Suicide attempt

This book has a lot of heavy content but it does not stay in its dark parts long and its overall tone is hopeful. It never lingers on lurid details, and the narrators tend to talk around what's happening/has happened. Both the mother and son are traumatized and both have traumatic interactions with institutions of the state, and she

Spoiler

was sexually assaulted by her stepfather

.

Spoiler

The police violence includes violence at a protest and one of the periods of institutionalization. The institutionalization includes the threat of separation of mother and son.

sayitagainjen's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Self harm, Fatphobia, Racism, and Mental illness