Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli

8 reviews

rhubarbpi3's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

I liked this book much more than I thought I would, but the pacing was inconsistent, the writing felt fan fiction-y at times, and I wish that it hadn’t felt so locked up in Eve’s head. The dialogue was also generally stilted. I thought the questions it brought up were interesting, however. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

badmom's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Simply put - this is a deeply beautiful account of the vast range of emotional reactions to suicide, and the disparate forms love & support & grief might take. Our narrator is understandably distraught over her husband’s death; his mother’s response, extreme in its ugly vindictiveness, is also shown to be understandable, in a way. Everyone in Q’s orbit is shaken by his death but shows their sorrow in different ways, leaving his widow feeling even more unmoored as she tries (or doesn’t) to find a path forward. 
We are treated to the sweet and sometimes bittersweet history of this couple and with that we see the unfolding of characters that reveals layers of relationships. Nwabineli’s writing is subtly astute in the ways it shows growth in even the slightest of characters - she makes us notice everyone and compels us consider their stories within our own stories while allowing connections we might otherwise resist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, and Classism

Moderate: Drug use, Vomit, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

tlaynejones's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

The best book I’ve listened to this year. Warm, messy as hell, funny, so searingly sad, honest. This is a story about grief and love. I don’t know if I would have started it if I’d realised just how foundational grief is to the story, but I’m very glad I did. Nwabineli has written about a Nigerian British woman in her early 30s, who had, she thought, been happily married for the last 10years. But then she discovered her husband had died by suicide. The story takes place during the first months after this devastating event. I found the story to include enough balance to make the book compelling and enjoyable. Ugh enjoyable feels crass, considering the topic. I enjoyed getting to know Eve and her family, I found the process of grief, as it’s described in the book, challenged me and made me think, and I enjoyed discovering a new author to look out for. Obviously the grief and loss are a lot, and the specific mind fuck for loved ones coming to terms with a suicide is a lot. With that caution in mind, this is highly recommended.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Grief, Pregnancy, and Classism

Moderate: Racism, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

heidipolkissa82's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Abandonment

booksandteawithmolly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Racism, Blood, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion

lydiahollern's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Abortion

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying and Abortion

Minor: Miscarriage

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

Deeply moving and terribly sad. This book displays the rawness of grief in a stunning and real way. The peeks into Nigerian culture were fascinating and gave the novel depth it wouldn’t otherwise have. The author brings truth and honesty to the characters brilliantly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism