Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Desconexión by Neal Shusterman

44 reviews

milshollini's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Blood, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Hate crime, Medical content, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Bullying, Body shaming, Homophobia, Abandonment, Genocide, and Gun violence

antimony's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.75

so readable and fast-paced like any good ya dystopian and wonderfully bereft of a love triangle (since it was published pre-hunger games) . and the concept is interesting and ripe with potential for horror. (

Spoiler

the chapter where roland was unwound. yeah

)

but on the other hand. the worldbuilding is rather, well. nonsense. in what world is the compromise between pro- and anti-choice people to kill teenagers....i know it's kind of a grey area in the book of whether they die or not and their memories can pass on to the people who recieve their parts but like. they die. let's be real about it. from a pro-choice standpoint this solves nothing. and neither does storking. it's kind of obvious that this was a man's sci-fi dystopian idea of a compromise over reproductive rights because it doesn't really take into account a big part of abortions -- in our world if you can't take care of a baby you can still give it up for adoption. but if you don't want to be pregnant, you have an abortion. which is not an option in this world, so clearly anti-choice people won. (though like. if they're genuinely anti-choice because they believe life begins at conception rather than just for the sake of controlling women's bodies then they wouldn't agree with this as a solution either. because it's so obvious to the entire real world(me as opposed to the characters in this book) that unwinding is the same thing as dying. 
and the thing is that it is still good as a dystopian concept! it's just that the reason unwinding exists is dumb. why couldn't it be like for population control reasons? which is still horrible but like . as worldbuilding makes a lot more sense. 
i would have enjoyed this in 6th grade though. which is when i primarily wanted to read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Violence, Sexual harassment, Child death, and Death

Minor: Suicide and War

cozyscones's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Child death, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Medical content

Minor: Racism and Abortion

racheldonna14's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.0

I read this book in 2010 and decided to reread and see if it was as good as I remember. It was better, and the themes ring loudly post Roe.
The characters start as 2D characters of a troubled teen, ward of the state, and religious tithe which allows the world to be the main character for a while. The world of this book feels familiar (because its mostly Ohio and Arizona) but the rules are different and it takes the reader on a journey to see what the USA has become post Second World War. Once the world is concretely established, the characters, and their relationships between one other, begin to blossom and become complex and whole. Each of their motivations and desires are unique leaving no room for confusion as to why they make the choices that they make even if the choice is wrong. The story is gut-wrenching and visceral from beginning to end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Body horror, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Classism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

sassolinosassoletto's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Violence, and Medical trauma

heathermarie08's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. At times, it is heartbreaking and others it is hopeful and inspiring. Ending is satisfying! Well thought out and written. Will definitely read the rest of the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Death, Abandonment, and Bullying

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

choco_bunbun's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Medical content, Trafficking, and Suicide

Moderate: Abandonment

cursed_sapphire's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Child abuse, Violence, and Child death

Moderate: Abortion

madisonrhoff's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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? No

3.5

This book is very depressing. Definitely not a lighthearted read but good book nonetheless. But dystopian but feels like it’s in the near future. I like the different characters and their dynamics. I thought the ending wrapped up everything well and I enjoyed the overall storyline. Just a solid YA dystopian book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content and Gore

Moderate: Child death and Violence

besotted's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, and Medical content

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Violence, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Torture, and Confinement