Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

Der Distelfink by Donna Tartt

10 reviews

vaguely_pink's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

3.0

I think this one just wasn’t for me. Tartt is undeniably an incredibly gifted writer. Her characters leap off the page. The Goldfinch reads like a memoir and I often found myself wondering how it’s possible that someone could pull such real characters out of their head. The audiobook narrator is also masterful in his performance of each one. But part of why I continued to ask myself this was because their lives, and consequently this book, are just so oppressively bleak. Like, I’m a proud Sad Girl™, but this felt like too much sometimes. 

There were also numerous times where I felt like we were gearing up for an ending only to check the audiobook and realize that somehow I still had 13 hours left. As I got to the end, I started to have my usual audiobook thoughts of “maybe I’d like this more if I read with my eyes,” especially with the discussions about the importance of art to the human experience. But I’m not sure I would’ve had the endurance for this book in print. And when it does finally end, it feels very

Spoiler

Boris

ex machina and entirely too quick and easy. I don’t know, man. Maybe all the new adult fantasy I’ve been reading lately is finally rotting my brain. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Addiction, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Infidelity, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Animal cruelty, Deportation, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Murder, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Medical content, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Vomit, and Sexual violence

Terrorism, bombing, organized crime

ewwniamh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

it took me almost a year to finish this book and although i have some problems with it, i do really have a strong attachment to it and it's characters. 

whether that be because of how long it took me to read it or because i actually enjoyed it as much as the secret history, I'm not sure but that last chapter was absolutely incredible so donna tart has got me in a chokehold again for a second time I guess

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Violence, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Murder, Grief, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Racism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Medical content and Medical trauma

alibrarymouse's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

This book is excellent and interesting, but it is dense. It’s just hard to get through, but so good when you do.

I liked Theo’s story and the way Tartt writes, but it is definitely higher level writing determined to call back to the classics. Of course, this works for the kind of story she’s telling of a boy who becomes an art dealer and everything he gets caught up in. However, from the start, it’s very intimidating; it’s definitely one that makes you think about what’s being said because there are so many words being used to say it and the format for each chapter is broken down into their own sub chapters. It’s twisty and elegant, but absolutely not a light read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Gun violence

Minor: Infidelity

mawn323's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Alcohol, Suicide, Drug abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Murder, and Medical content

lucy_36's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Gun violence, Child death, Grief, Murder, Homophobia, Blood, Medical content, Alcohol, Drug use, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, and Addiction

cstein's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Some racist humor/undertones that the 2022 reader should question. Tartt's description of the attack and its aftermath are moving and memorable, in contrast to later passages and conversations which feel rushed and underexplained. Interesting use of an unreliable narrator and a combination of several narrative styles. Generally entertaining.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Blood, Death of parent, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Violence, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Vomit, Death, Gore, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, and Mental illness

Minor: Antisemitism, Classism, Medical content, and Trafficking

maddalenacesco's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

kid steals and then feels bad about it for over 800 pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexism, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

lvr105's review against another edition

slow-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

3.0

I found this book very compelling before the time jump - afterwards, I found myself frustrated with Theo’s character and less invested in the story. The prose is beautiful, but the plot tends to either drag on or rush through important moments. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Infidelity, and Forced institutionalization

stuff3danimalzintheeclo5et's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Medical trauma, and Mental illness

Moderate: Homophobia

monoliloquy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

5.0

This is the most depressing book I have ever read. I loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Death, Child abuse, Blood, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Car accident, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Violence

Minor: Antisemitism and Misogyny