Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

24 reviews

hannah_beth_charles's review against another edition

hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

2.5

I found myself skipping paragraphs because some of the metaphors were so boring and unnecessary that I found it was a waste of time. I also hated Picoult's writing style and the way she made the men's POVs full of vulgar language or shallow thoughts, like "boys will be boys".

I think that Anna's death was Jesse's punishment for starting fires and putting other's lives at risk. It's not fair for him to just be let off without punishment. The ending was quite surprising but and almost lazy. There's no way that Anna would have an unstrained relationship with her parents after she tried to sue them, and Kate's death would be blamed on Anna. Anna needed to die for the story to conclude. Kate becoming a ballet teacher is unrealistic and I know it was her dream, but she hadn't done ballet before, and ballet isn't a sport you can just do. It takes years of training.  

I couldn't care less Campbell and Julia's relationship. They're both toxic and Julia is desperate to be different. Julias losing her virginity on a gravestone was just odd.

I hated that throughout the novel, Sara was trying to be redeemed as a good mother or at least trying her best in a complicated situation. She had Anna just to save Kate. She probably wouldn't have had Anna if Kate wasn't sick. What irked me most was at the end when she said that she would send her one child in a fire to save the other child and she was willing to risk losing them both. That is so selfish because Sara sacrificing their lives. That's not fair and is plain wrong. She is not put in any danger.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Cancer, Car accident, Child death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol and Addiction

zoejjj's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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

4.0

Okay obviously I cried like a baby I have three sisters and if I was put in a position like this I have no clue what I would’ve done!! The part where Anna is in the shower and Kate is talking to her, saying I can lose you as a sister but I couldn’t handle losing you as a friend? I was trying to do chores while listening this and was cryinggg!! 

Nobody in this book is hateable. Not even Sara. She is written as an incredibly driven woman who will stop at nothing to save her daughter. Unfortunately her other kids get forgotten in the process but she regrets, she makes it right. “This is her pond but my lily pads”? Shaving her head for Kate? Honestly Jesse got the wayyyy short end of the straw but he also almost killed someone.

The ending is… so so.

I wish Jodi would’ve committed to Kate dying. In the end, Anna’s choice was taken away from her AGAIN. Was the whole lawsuit pointless? Maybe! Sure it’s (possibly) realistic bc life does not care but this book isn’t meant to be realistic like that. The ending is out of left field for the topics this book is dealing with.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Car accident, Drug use, Grief, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Child death, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Drug abuse, and Blood

Minor: Sexual content and Vomit

houimk's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Cancer

Moderate: Car accident and Medical trauma

Minor: Grief

maddi_sen13's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

2.25

This is one of the rare times a movie is better than its book.  The concept is good, but the execution fell flat.  The multiple point of view changes, only so we learn this tragic 15 year story of Julia and Campbell, adds nothing to the story.  If you took their b plot out, the story wouldn’t have been effected.  The most interesting character to me was Jesse, and even his own points of view don’t center on him.  There was so many chunks of the story that was unnecessary.  

The whole story felt way longer than necessary.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Death, Grief, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Cancer

Moderate: Blood, Suicide, and Vomit

sarahemhavens's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Begrudgingly and not, I’m giving this five stars. So many things made me violently angry in this book. The mom? Absolutely can’t stand her. She should thank her lucky stars she’s fictional and her name is Sara, no h; because oooooh if I met that lady I’d slap her SILLY. Jodi Picoult, I love you and your writing is phenomenal and incredibly impressive (research skills: 😗🤌), but you’re sick and twisted for this one. And I’m sick and twisted for loving it. Pls just read this book and experience this for yourself. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, and Terminal illness

tarahuffman's review against another edition

emotional tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer and Medical trauma

emileesbooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Cancer, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, Abortion, and Blood

jenna_justi2004's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

• 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Cursing, Child death, Death, Drug use, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Body horror, Car accident, Blood, Cancer, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, and Medical content

bethanyhacquoil's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Car accident, Self harm, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, Chronic illness, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Alcoholism

jillgoober's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

I can't say much about my thoughts on this book without spoiling it. Just know that if you've seen the film, you are in for a big surprise ending. I've decided that overall this was a good novel but I (unpopular opinion possibly) much prefer the film ending to the book ending. I was so floored at the absurdity that is the book ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Car accident, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Child death, Chronic illness, and Medical content

Moderate: Ableism