Reviews tagging 'Death'

Christmas on the Island by Jenny Colgan

14 reviews

cerilouisereads's review against another edition

funny hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Pregnancy

aspiereads33's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

3.0

There are inconsistencies with the previous books in the series which ruined it for me. And as a stand alone book it's pretty sad and depressing if you do t already know the series

very frustrating that mark and Marsha are childless when in the previous two books they said they couldn't adopt Joel because their children were too young

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer and Death

Moderate: Miscarriage

Minor: War

leakr01's review against another edition

emotional 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: Sexual content

Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Terminal illness

Minor: Homophobia

tjazz's review against another edition

hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

Trigger warnings.
Hard read for someone who has both lost a loved one to cancer and lost a partner.  Also a lot for anyone who has experienced infertility or pregnancy loss. 
It was a good story. Just a lot

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, and Death

Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Terminal illness, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and War

randisworld's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

3.5

I thought this was going to be more cozy than it was. It had some pretty strong themes, pretty serious. Not as cozy Christmas as I thought but still good. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Miscarriage, and War

Dealt with some pretty heavy themes for a Christmas book

joanasimao's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer and Death

Moderate: Homophobia

cassie7e's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Emotional topics & lots of interpersonal drama. Not a light and fluffy christmas book, but a fine story. TW for the homophobic f-word.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy

Minor: Cancer, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

cranewife's review against another edition

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Cursing, Torture, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Medical content, and Abandonment

sarajuni's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Homophobia and Racism

asourceoffiction's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

I've read two other Jenny Colgans and they were ok, but didn't blow me away, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this. And I was so pleasantly surprised. So often with light romances it can get a little unbelievable (especially with Christmas in the mix), but this was messy, complicated and real, and I loved it. I felt so much more emotional connection with characters who were really working hard for a happy ending that just doesn't always appear the way you'd like.

I also love how it dealt with many different family dynamics; including how a sweet but inexperienced community can make a Muslim family feel welcome and included who do not celebrate Christmas. And this allows room to address some lasting hurtful stereotypes that go along with traditional nativity performances. It didn't shy away from difficult subjects and trod the line without preaching or going too light-hearted.

My one issue, that I've experienced in all of Colgan's books, is how badly some of her sentences need editing. Several thoughts will merge into one, and eventually the numerous comma separations are insufficient to keep the intended meaning. Some of her writing is really beautiful (particularly on the bleak and stunning island of Mure), but every now and then I'd come across a section I'd have to read three times to even begin to understand.

Thankfully this didn't happen too often and didn't detract from the story, which was sad and uplifting at the same time, and oh so Christmassy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Terminal illness, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Miscarriage