Reviews with content warning for Cancer - The Collected Regrets of Clover

Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

34 reviews

ncamp214's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

I'm so disappointed in this book. The topic is one I know little about and seems so interesting. A death doula. You learn so little about Clover's occupation and instead read her sad monologue about her life and the lives of the people around her. She is basically friendless by choice, and often refuses to give people a chance. She is mostly a hermit except for when she has a job, and the use of Rom Coms as a bad coping mechanism is insulting to the movie genre. The only interesting part of the book is the story of her client, Claudia, a former photo journalist with exciting stories and a long lost love. The book finishes a little too perfectly for a book about learning to live life to the fullest and take chances.

Content Warnings

mdavis26's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Content Warnings

fancyjess_party's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-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

3.0

Content Warnings

sierracaine's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

I'm so glad this book was recommended to me! Emotional and thought-provoking with lovable characters.

Content Warnings

fkshg8465's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad 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

5.0

I had a really horribly difficult day at work - the kind that makes me need to have a really good cry. I give this book a five because it gave me a good reason to let myself cry. I don’t know what a diffident experience I would’ve had with this book on another day, but because I read it today and because I had the day I did, I give it a five.

I would love to see the actual journal Clover kept as a separate book.

The only thing that bothered me was she was so clear on the ethics of sharing her deceased clients’ secrets, but she no qualms about blabbing about her living clients’ secrets. However, it would’ve been a very different story without this blabbing.

The best characters were the elderly - Claudia, Bessie, Leo, and grandpa. I didn’t love any of the other characters. Oh wait. I did really like Hugo. I think I would like them more if I spent more time with them - like in a sequel.

Content Warnings

maeverose's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

TL;DR: A fun escape, with a simple but important message, even if that message comes with an assumed level of privilege.

I expected it to be a little more focused on Clover’s job, we only actually see three of her clients, most of the book is focused on her own life. But I didn’t mind. I do think the overall message - live life to it’s fullest - was pretty simple and repeated a lot, but it is an important reminder. I didn’t know death doulas were a real thing until I looked it up after discovering this book, and it was really interesting to learn about it. I think thats a really beautiful service to exist, and I might try to learn more about it now.

Hugo 2.0 was a little too comically perfect, though I still liked him.

Also I found it incredibly uncomfortable that Clover spied on her neighbor’s in their homes with binoculars… Like Sylvie didn’t even seem creeped out by that. It was so weird.

Quotes:

“I liked to feel the icy breeze nibbling at my cheeks as I walked, to watch the cloud materialize then vanish with each of my breaths — confirmations that I was still here, still living.”

“It frustrated me that society was so determined to quantify grief, as if time could erase the potency of love. Or, on the other hand, how it dictated that grief for someone you knew fleetingly should be equally as fleeting.”

“An incongruous tug of war between the need for solitude and the craving for emotional connection— I didn’t want company, but I didn’t want to feel alone.”

“- the secret to a beautiful death is to live a beautiful life. Putting your heart out there. Letting it get broken. Taking chances. Making mistakes.”

Content Warnings