Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - Writers & Lovers

Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

21 reviews

jamiejanae_6's review against another edition

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reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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m_sotos's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This book seemed very up my alley but I found it extremely melodramatic and trying very hard not to be. It felt like it was trying to do something original but just chocked the story full of loads of rom-com cliches. Like, everything was going badly for the narrator (too much and even though it would be reasonable to be self-pitying when all of this has happened to you, I found her self-pity oddly obnoxious) and then all of a sudden, everything was wonderful and it had all worked out perfectly. I kept waiting for something new and interesting to appear and it never really did. I had high expectations which were not met, so maybe I’m being too harsh.

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areadingstan's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

‘There’s a particular feeling in your body when something goes right after a long time of things going wrong. It feels warm and sweet and loose.’

I found in this book what I didn’t know I was seeking - a deep and realistic depiction of grief and its non-linear nature. A main character - a writer - whose experiences and struggles are all too relatable, but whose successes are worth waiting for.

The captivating story of Casey as she goes through a challenging part of life, grieving the loss of her mother, but also grieving the she things she has longed for; to write and to love.

We are with her as she goes to shift after shift at Iris, the restaurant she waitresses at, as she tries to feel at home in the small rented room she can just about afford, as she tries to finish the novel she has been writing for a long, long time.

She meets two men who are very different, and begins to date, unhealed from her previous experiences. Slowly through the drudgery of everyday life, though the trials she continues to face, we get to witness Casey work through her pain, let herself feel what she has refused to for so long, and we have the joy of seeing her through to the other side of this, to success.

But this book doesn’t feel like an inspirational story. It is simply the everyday, the struggle, the one foot in front of the other until the clouds start to clear.

For anyone who writes, this is a book for you. But even if you don’t, if you’re looking for someone to fight for and follow through a difficult path, someone to be proud of - read this book. The language is rich and compelling, I felt entirely captivated and will definitely be turning to this again.

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caylorquinn's review against another edition

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emotional funny mysterious 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

4.5

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jhansell's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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cassidy's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad 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? Yes

4.0

There were a lot of relatable quotes from this book. Definitely times when I was falling asleep and kept my eyes open just because I wanted to read more. I think it’s challenging with these books to wrap them all up with a bow tie and have them end in a~feel good~ way while keeping its authenticity because it can feel a little forced.

Also reading about a writer so intimately and what it takes to write a book makes me think about my reviews… who am I to rate a book lol

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hkburke2's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

Slow burn. The MC was aggravating for me, but in a way that means she felt real and like someone I should be able to reason with? Very immersive.

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marypr4's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

I have rated a total of 4 books 5 stars in the last 2 years, but this book changed everything for me. I’ve felt that buzzing, the buzzing Casey talks about, for years and years- it’s been humming along the surface of my skin, dormant at intervals, but always there, since I first wrote- and today when I finished “Writers and Lovers,” I felt like a shaken soda. Especially reading everything after the scene where she reads the Memoir of madness and her “insides burn in terrifying recognition.” I’ve been in that place for so long. I’m so absolutely full of things I’m finally ready to say. I’m so grateful. I’ve been on the verge for so long and this did it. Sometimes, like Muriel’s itchy ankles, when I read a good book I just go quiet for days. I only speak when absolutely necessary, I stop answering my texts. My roommates actually get worried about me. But today, when I finished this book, I opened my notes app and I wrote and wrote and I could hardly stop myself to drive home when the coffee shop I was in closed. I used voice-to-text on the drive home, till my phone died, and then I practically ran inside to plug it up and immediately pulled out my laptop for the first time in ages. I can FEEL the words and they bubble in me till I fizz over. I want to express how absolutely eternally grateful I am for this book. This is the most wonderful relief.

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onion's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective sad slow-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

2.0

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jademrosas's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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? No

5.0

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