Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Suon villi laulu by Delia Owens

60 reviews

hcop's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Abandonment, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

Minor: Bullying

wogslandwriter's review against another edition

emotional reflective relaxing 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? Yes

5.0

I did not know what to expect from this book when I started it. Honestly, it was beyond my expectations from the very beginning and it just kept going. I did not know how it was going to end.

I was pretty sure Kaya wouldn't go to jail, but I honestly did think that she had killed Tate. It made the most logical sense, but it just didn't seem like she had done it. It was definitely a surprise to have that twist at the end, but it all makes sense and it brings a sense of mildly juvenile wonder which I think really matches Kaya's personality because she was neglected for so long and stayed agoraphobic for her who life.

I laughed and cried reading this and it may be one of the best literary novels I have ever read. I am definitely interested in more books like this, with a focus on ecology and personhood. It is extremely good and I highly recommend this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Racism, Murder, Death, Classism, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual content, Cursing, and Misogyny

Minor: Car accident, War, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Child death, Infertility, and Sexism

Kaya, the main character of this book is subject to extreme childhood neglect from and absent mother and alcoholic father. The book focuses on her abandonment and loneliness as it follows her story.

As a teenager she has a relationship with an older boy who is technically an adult for the later part of their relationship. As a young adult, she has a relationship with an emotionally manipulative young man where he is cheating on her and lying to her regularly. After breaking it off with him, he later chases her down and attempts to rape her. She defends herself and is able to escape him.

There are also graphic flashbacks to her father beating her mother and siblings and discussion of how her town is segregated with black people living in "colored town" separate from the white people. There is mild discussion of the racism of the era, but mostly it is simply treated as matter of fact as it is viewed through the eyes of a child.

sorkka's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad

• 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

This book started off so slowly and boring but I am glad I persisted. The book follows the childhood and transition into adulthood of Kya,

who grew up in poverty all alone

. A local

murder

suddenly changes the tone of a book into fast paced page turner.  Throughout the book there are beautiful descriptions of the wildlife and nature of the marsh as well as explorations of the human condition and loneliness. I liked the it overall. But I would have preferred it to be less slow at the beginning and less rushed at the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Abandonment, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Classism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Violence

Minor: Dementia and Mental illness

Nature, abandonment and classism are the most significant themes of the book.

The side character Jumpy is abused with racial slurs. The main character Kya experiences a lot of prejudice, predominantly classism. The main character is a victim of sexual assault from a toxic relationship. The home life of the central character Kya has domestic violence, child abuse and emotional abuse. A minor character has a breakdown and develops dementia.

jodiemarie_xox's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.75

I cried!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Alcoholism, Grief, and Sexism

Minor: Infertility, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail

paris_olivia's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Murder, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Animal death, Infertility, Mental illness, and Sexual content

staceyinthesticks's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Sexual assault

jessiesnoww's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Classism, Murder, Rape, Stalking, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, and Self harm

siniandi's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Well written book, heartbreaking at times, hopeful at times; the ending is an interesting choice, probably divisive. Kya is a beautiful and complex character and, maybe most importantly, one of the most resilient female characters I have ever encountered in writing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Sexual violence, Violence, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Mental illness and Classism

joygarcialim's review against another edition

dark relaxing sad medium-paced

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

3.75

I’m confused by this book, in some good ways and in some not so good ways.

The settings used in the book are stunningly described and Delia Owens has a way of weaving words into art. However, this is overused throughout the book, although it gets less as the plot thickened. I do wish that there were points where things were more direct. While the places were so serene and heavily embossed with tales of nature, this is a thriller too and it almost loses the seat-gripping effect.

Kya starts out as a curious little thing and she just gets curiouser and curiouser. It was hard not to feel whilst her story unravelled. Whatever she has grown into, albeit debatable(though Tarzan was a thing so why not), made her an enchanting protagonist and it was undeniably hard not to root for her.

The romances are the parts of the story which I had the most problem with. Especially with Tate, because Chase was obviously a creep. Tate was kinda creepy too tbh.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Classism, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Racial slurs

Minor: Infertility and Suicidal thoughts

abijoyceshaw's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

I loved this book! Despite her uncommon circumstances, I found Kya relatable and loved how she saw the world through the lens of nature which is used to create powerful metaphors. While her life is at times very dark and troubled, hope and beauty also felt just as central to her story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death, Mental illness, and Murder

Check the trigger warnings before you read.