Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

29 reviews

nsfinch's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

THE PULL OF THE STARS, by Emma Donoghue, is set during the 1918 flu pandemic, and it was published right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve been avoiding reading it for an entire year. Heck, I’ve been avoiding reading anything too sad for an entire year. I finally started it today, and it was so good I finished it today. Content warnings for childbirth, child death, medical trauma, rampant sexism, and the notorious mother and baby homes in Ireland. DESPITE ALL THAT: It filled my heart and I’m so, so glad I read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

eniatea's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

mgraves89's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Vomit

sarah984's review against another edition

emotional informative medium-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? No

3.0

This book is about a nurse working in a makeshift maternity ward in Ireland during the Spanish flu pandemic. The medicine parts of it were interesting (though not for the faint-hearted) and I liked most of the characters, though there are a few that I wish had gotten a bit more screen time. A lot of social issues in Ireland at the time are brought up and discussed in a way that mostly feels organic. 

The last third was just too much for me though, way too soap opera-ish for me with all the romance and drama crammed into two days. After the weight of the rest of the book it felt kind of silly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexism, Suicide, and Trafficking

knitterscasket's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Physical abuse

unphilosophize's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I Cannot currently express to you how much I loved this book. 
It is tragic and emotional. 
I really enjoyed all the obstetrics in the book, especially as my mum was a nurse in the nicu 
Great characters
I’ll think about this book a lot 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Vomit, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, and Religious bigotry

quietpageturner's review against another edition

emotional funny informative medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma

Moderate: Death

Minor: Physical abuse and Forced institutionalization

veeronald's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative sad fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Excrement, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Suicide and Toxic relationship

phoxyphoenix's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Vomit, and Religious bigotry