Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

146 reviews

fany_3d's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

aves_brynn's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

cookie_lover's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Cursing, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug use, Vomit, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual harassment

writewithapendragon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

FANS OF HEARTSTOPPER be warned this book takes on some of the heavier topics alluded to/addressed in the series.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

elisabethc01's review

dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

ollieez's review against another edition

emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

lizabellie's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring sad tense medium-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: Eating disorder and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Self harm

mattyb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Blood and Alcohol

cdoubet's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Vomit, Medical content, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

bethsimone_'s review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

"I don't know what's going to happen to us. I don't know how long I'm going to be like this.
All I know is that I'm here. And I'm alive. And I'm not alone."

I haven't felt truly represented by a character until Tori. Her apathetic personality and the sensitive handling of her mental health is extremely well done.

You can physically feel Tori shine brighter when Michael is near, they have a beautiful relationship in which they are two halves making each other whole.
The dialogue between them on the roof made me tear up, mostly because Tori's feelings were extremely familiar to me (and anyone else that has experienced suicidal ideation) but largely because I was holding my breath, feeling Michael panicking trying to get Tori to understand she needs to be here, she is important, to get her away from the edge no matter what. It's heartbreaking, because Tori truly doesn't understand what other people see when they look at her.

"You need to be here," he says.

I especially love the fact that Oseman doesn't 'fix' Tori or write a 'happy ending' that ties things into a neat bow. Mental illness is not something that can be fixed, and recovery in not a linear path, it'll likely shape your whole life.

What Solitaire does, is deliver not exactly an anti-suicide message, but hope. Hope that you can find the joy in life again, doing pointless things just to pass the time, laughing at nothing; being alive.
Throughout the book, Tori slowly 'defrosts' from her apathetic, numb state, not exactly melting by the end but opening up enough to allow herself to feel, and continue to grow. She isn't exactly changed, but she acknowledges that, and finally sees she isn't alone, she has people that love her for who she is, and they'll still be there when she doesn't.
Oseman writes friendship and chosen family in a really beautiful way, and is the real love story underpinning Solitaire.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail