Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

48 reviews

ksilvio's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Mental illness, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, and Classism

rliu793's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Racism, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Abortion and Death of parent

Minor: Mental illness and Forced institutionalization

leahlovesloslibros's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.5

This story is based on some real-life horrific events, specifically the forced sterilization of black girls and women in the 1960s and 1970s. the While I found the topic of this book to be something that more people should know about, I didn't particularly like the way this story was written by this author. The main character was quite insufferable as she was written, but getting hers and other characters' stories out is important. There is a lot of strong social commentary surrounding abuse of minority populations, especially BIPOC (Tuskegee Syphilis Study, forced sterilization). Finally, the ending was very disappointing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness and Death of parent

Additional TW/CW: poverty, post-partum depression, forced sterilization

anniesher23's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Racism, Sexism, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Cancer, Mental illness, and Abortion

Minor: Death of parent

sarah_speaks's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Infertility, Racism, Sexism, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Cancer

bmpicc's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-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

4.5

I loved this book. 1970's historical fiction tackling what was never talked about in my high school history classes. Women making choices about their lives and their bodies is not a new conversation. Very well told story.

"Mama says, 'You're warping that girl with your guilt, Civil.' when she says this, I'm silent. There are a lot of things a mother can say to hurt her child, even long after the child is an adult." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Medical trauma, and Abortion

Moderate: Cancer and Mental illness

mal_reads_books's review against another edition

emotional informative sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma

Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, Racism, and Abortion

Minor: Blood

khaben31's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Medical trauma, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism

Minor: Cancer, Mental illness, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

cdoubet's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Slavery, Blood, Abortion, and Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

bookishmillennial's review against another edition

 disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial 
 
This is based on a real lawsuit & on the true story of Mary Alice and Minnie Lee Relf who, in 1973 at ages 12 and 14, were surgically sterilized without their consent in Montgomery, Alabama. 💔

Dolen Perkins-Valdez painted such a rich story with important historical context! I had no idea about the lawsuit that inspired this book & while I was horrified & devastated for the women, I was not surprised that the horrific racism that seeped into our health care system. I really don’t understand how the federal government felt these were ever rooted in “good intentions”🤮

I related to Civil a lot because you already know I can be sanctimonious and self-righteous😅 However, she had damn good reason to be! She spoke up about the unethical, immoral shit that happened because she deeply cared not only for her patients but for Black women everywhere. She knew how important having a choice was & she never wanted that taken away from anyone.

If you’re a historical fiction girly, please give this one a go! The audiobook was FANTASTIC btw👏🏽
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Classism