Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Dig by A.S. King

6 reviews

beccam22's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

5.0

I have heard this book pitched many time to me and I don’t think anyone I have heard talk about this book has read this book. Yes it’s kind of about potatoes, a pita or farmer, a character is called the shoveler. 

But this book is about racism, this book is about generational trauma and breaking out of that. This book is about trusting the next generation is not just lazy, whiney, and stupid kids. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

all of the characters are connected, the grandmother is I would say the most racist which is routed in receiving “black blood” after an accident that almost killed her and needing a blood transfusion following, being told she had “black blood” and feeling dirty/unpure ever sense. She passed this racism down to one child, the others have tried to do better. Her husband does get sick of her shit near the end of the book and wants to do better. The grandchildren all recognize the racism and want to do better. There is mention of white supremacy, neo-nazism, and hate crimes. There is also a character who is introduced as a very likable and caring person and come summer when he wears short sleeves has a “100% white power” tattoo. There are teenagers being recruited to join white supremacy groups outside their school. There is a girl who was kidnapped, raped, murdered, and buried in the woods but is not gone into in detail until the end of the book. A female character talks about douching with turpentine multiple times in the book.

katiemack's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I’m gonna be thinking about this one for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Racism

Moderate: Rape and Murder

katonthejellicoe's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

A.S. KING IS OFFICIALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE YA AUTHORS. no one could write complex YA stories than her (and Melina Marchetta). i'm officially obsessed.

FAVE FAVE FAVE FAVE FAAAAAVE

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Racism

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault

Minor: Cancer, Kidnapping, and Murder

space_bandit's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, and Vomit

Minor: Rape and Murder

kell_xavi's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

3.0

As the author herself says, this book is uncomfortable. It’s unresolved. It’s weird. It contains a lot of trauma, mental illness, intergenerational biases and tensions, domestic violence, sexual assault, white supremacy, white guilt. It’s intelligent, includes complex conversations and resilient characters, and was engrossing. I liked it, though I didn’t enjoy it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Vomit, and Murder

Minor: Bullying, Medical content, and Alcohol

patch's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia