Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Swimming Home by Deborah Levy

14 reviews

zoealicem's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm

Moderate: Animal death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, and Suicide

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Forced institutionalization

this was a strange book. at first i thought that the weirdly written characters were unintentional, but now i disagree. i think that there was some beautiful dialogue and descriptions in here as well. my main issue was just how confused i was all the time. i was so anxious trying to see how the ending would play out, and when it did, i was just a bit let down and more confused. it’s a gripping easy read with some interesting character studies. i wish we could have actually read the poems referred to so many times. however i thought the character of kitty finch was brilliant and i just wanted more and more scenes with her in it.

mj_86's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Eating disorder

tailwhip's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug use and Fatphobia

roxyc's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Eating disorder and Suicide

cecereads__'s review against another edition

4.25

Deborah Levy does subtlety really well. She’s quite the master of it imo, and she especially knows how to do it mixed with the unexpected which is a contradiction in a way but that’s what’s accomplished. The way the story weaves things and personalities and “destinies” together in a cryptic but clear way makes for a very interesting read. The story takes place during a week of summer vacation so physically (location) we stay somewhat still, but mentally in terms of growth is where all the change and chain-reactions happen.
I almost wanted to know more and explore the characters and their connection further but it wasn’t what the story was about or what the story was “meant” to give it’s reader - but I didn’t feel like it was missing, if that makes sense, I knew that it was supposed to be the way it is where we simply know most characters in the periphery (as much as you would know someone during the span of a week).

I found the last chapter - 17 years after the week in France -  quite intriguing as it was the most subtle and unexpected in a way. As if the week wasn’t that big a deal or that life-altering even though it was; the ambivalence of it while speaking as if it was any other “random” week from the past as in “oh yeah, by the way…” - idk. But that’s just my initial take on it

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol

directorpurry's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

triple_m's review against another edition

mysterious fast-paced

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

3.75

A short read and weird storyline that kept me engaged. I thought this book was good but I don’t really feel like I understood it. I don’t have any strong feelings about it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Blood

elmo_isoutside's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

katiiekhaos's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Read for a University class.
This book feels simultaneously like a book I would typically enjoy because of the themes/context, and also a book I wouldn’t normally pick up. I think it’s well written and the characters are fleshed out, and also very flawed; with some often very questionable motives and desires. The ending was shocking but I hadn’t grown as attached to the characters (except Nina) so I didn’t have much of an emotional response to it.
Having to write an essay about this book did make me appreciate how much skill Levy put into this book, there is so many subtle foreshadowing scenes that come together so perfectly at the end. 
Overall for me this was a good book but not amazing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Death of parent

Moderate: Eating disorder and Infidelity

afion's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, and Fatphobia