Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Truth of the Divine by Lindsay Ellis

3 reviews

peytonktracy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book was utterly unflinching in its brutal portrayal of PTSD, grief, and processing incomprehensibly huge emotional challenges and quandaries. It was deeply uncomfortable at times too for a whole multitude of reasons, most of which had to do with the author's very direct approach to these topics. I really enjoyed getting to witness Ellis' take on how the world might react to First Contact, the beautiful and ugly parts, and it felt so realistic at times it was easy to forget it hadn't happened. I also really loved Kaveh as a character and seeing his journey throughout the story as well. I only had two small complaints, and one of which doesn't even feel like a complaint but more of an observation and maybe even praise for Ellis' writing. That one is that sometimes it felt like we, the readers, were so thoroughly encapsulated in Cora's head, that we were also shrouded by her mental illness and it was hard at time to grasp the events happening because we were viewing it through the stormy emotional turmoil of her panic attacks. But this was where having Kaveh as a character and counter-perspective to Cora's really excelled because we could see what was happening from outside that hurricane as well. My second complaint was that I missed Ampersand in this book a lot. I was so invested in their journey as well, and because the plot was what it was (no spoilers) it felt like they just kinda popped in and out, and I hope we see more of them in the third book - which I will definitely seek out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Gun violence, Islamophobia, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Self harm

Minor: Alcoholism

This book was rough, but if you are still interested while also concerned, the author has a note at the beginning with her own content warnings as well as her thoughts on including content like this in modern narratives.

jjreads331's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

Of all the places I thought this series would go, this was not it, if I'm being honest. And I am so happy to have been surprised. I'm excited to see what comes next, even if I'm still reeling a bit from this entry into the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, Xenophobia, Body horror, Gore, Medical content, Violence, Suicide attempt, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Self harm

Moderate: Antisemitism, Colonisation, Hate crime, Medical content, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Abandonment, Religious bigotry, Eating disorder, Confinement, and Gun violence

banrions's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.5

I wavered back and forth for like the last three min if I was gonna put this as a 4 star book or a 3 star one. Honestly, it’s a 3.5 for me either way, but ultimately, I think I rounded down because, though once I sat through and read it, I absolutely was powering through and not wanting to stop for long periods of time, I was also often frustrated with what I was reading. 

This book took a slightly different turn partway through and added a secondary POV that at first, I was annoyed by, and then INFURIATED BY because I just wanted to get into cora’s head again, and then, I ended up really thinking it was a smart narrative decision, and THEN the final passage of the book nailed me flat and I think that I will be thinking about it for a while. 

(This is not going to be a very coherent review, as if mine ever really are lol. That’s not what I do here, I just vent some emotions about the book into a void). 

I think I’ll be thinking about a LOT of this book for a while.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship