Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Acquadolce by Akwaeke Emezi

261 reviews

jill_holly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

It feels impossible to review this book because it is so hard to describe. It had me in a chokehold the moment I started it and didn't let up. I was breathless by the end. Both devastatingly dark and heartwrenchingly beautiful, it dives headfirst into the lasting impacts of sexual trauma, the struggles of mental health, and the splitting of a fractured identity. It pulls from Igbo mythology, which I enjoyed learning more about. I was riveted, heartbroken and aching from the prose, weirdness, and intensity of Ada's story. I need to go read everything else Akwaeke Emezi has ever written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Moderate: Domestic abuse

lizlee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Alcohol

Minor: Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization

bisexualbookshelf's review against another edition

I was doing this on audio, which often doesn't work well for me. It's been weeks since I was interested in listening to it, so I'm calling it a DNF for now. This also has a lot of detailed triggering content relating to sexual violence and self-harm, which may be why I've been disinclined to pick it back up. I'd like to revisit it via physical or eBook, but it may have to wait until I have a healthier relationship with my nervous system. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

vklyle99's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Suicide attempt

molsherlaw's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

gdulecki's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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 almost didn’t really start reading this because I had absolutely no clue what was happening, but when I embraced the unreliability and the chaos I began to enjoy it a lot more. There were many times that the individual words or sentences or paragraphs made no sense, but I did enjoy the overall book and story despite this. I really loved the way that they explored mental health and trauma through personifying these things, and it really struck me when Ada indicated that their conditions would explain the story better than they could. This certainly wasn’t my favorite Akwaeke Emezi book, but I did enjoy it! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail

beanewman's review against another edition

challenging mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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: Cursing, Death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Dysphoria

omega's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Biphobia, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Medical content, and Grief

saoreads's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Much deeper than the surface, it touched on identity, mental health, and emotions. The extremes had mostly been carved out of reflections on relationships with other people. The vileness of others and the vileness within. It is a strange book with strange perceptions. But for one to account for, there wasn't much guidance to spare. There's a sense of rawness that offers no gentleness in words or in deeds. It cuts through corners straightforwardly, which causes panic. More or less, it provided insights into life without God, and the life surrounding it is a pity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Outing, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail