Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

9 reviews

leahthebooklover's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

3.5

Oh Kate Atkinson, you let me down this time. I was really looking forward to reading this book. One of my favorite genres (mystery/detective) by an author I have enjoyed in the past (Life After Life, A God in Ruins) - it should have been a home run. But this was a sad little story full of sad, ruined people. There were four case histories, four mysteries to be solved, and our detective, Jackson Brodie, really only "solved" one of them, maybe two. We learn the truth behind all of the cases, but sometimes the truth is revealed only to the reader, not to the characters in the book. The four cases all involve a sudden, catastrophic loss of a loved one. The losses (murders) all happened in the past, so the loved ones left behind have been bereft for a long time. There were a LOT of characters to keep track of, and some of the plot threads don't seem to make sense at first, but eventually everything falls into place. More than a mystery, this book is an exploration of loss, grief, and depression. There are lighter moments within this heavy context, but for me, they weren't enough to elevate the book to the point I could honestly say that I liked it. I did like the main character, Jackson Brodie. He may not have been the sharpest investigator, but he was very much trying to be a good man. He has plenty of flaws, but it's obvious he cares about others, in his own somewhat cynical way, and he really loves his daughter. I liked him well enough that I may try reading the second book in the series, but I'm not in a big hurry to do so. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Cursing, Fatphobia, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder

Minor: Cancer, Suicide, Blood, and Religious bigotry

sandysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.5

A good book concentrating on 3 cold cases and introducing Jackson Brodie, a private investigator looking into them. My favourite characters were Jackson himself and Theo, and I thoroughly disliked the unpleasant Land sisters. But the 3 stories interconnected in a great way. The writing was easy enough, but at times, I didn't like the pacing, finding it in parts quite slow whereas normally I like my crime novels to be un put down able. I also felt it needed further editing. I didn't understand the involvement of his young daughter that he took with him whilst he was investigating. I struggled with the rating. But I can't have disliked it that much as I've ordered the next book in the series from the library

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and Murder

jadiedaffodil's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

aileron's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Infertility, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, Stalking, and Death of parent

angorarabbit's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad medium-paced

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

2.5

TW:  Postpartum depression is particularly graphic and disturbing, chapter 3 was particularly hard to read. I skimmed the latter portion of chapter 25 which depicted stalking. The racial slur was very out of the blue and had nothing to do with the plot. There is limited diversity, a minor character was described as black but there was nothing else about him.

 

TLDR:  Great characterisation for the most part. This is not a detective novel but a multifamily drama. 

 

Bloopholes: If you mean to kill someone, after knocking them unconsciousness wouldn’t you finish the job unless you were disturbed.? 

 

Context: I loved Life After Life, I wanted to throw A God in Ruins at the wall.I had previously attempted this novel but stalled out at chapter 3. 

 

Ms. Atkinson writes the internal dialogue of young girls like no other author I’ve read. She falls a little when it comes to adults, particularly males. I thought the characterisation of the male protagonist was excellent but the other males where all a bit weak or absent. One man seemed to be characterised partly by his weight. Two female children are interesting as children but as adults are tiresome and a bit unbelievable. 

 

That being said I do have some problems with the plot besides the bloophole already mentioned. 

 

Rule 1 of Knox’s Decalogue is broken. Other mysteries are fairly easy it work out ahead of the reveal. There is also a ghost of Dickens with a surprise legacy that bails out a character. 

 

The next one really bugged me and I’m apologise that I cant express myself better. The representation of a possible Ace character. Their disgust/facimation of sex is based on childhood trauma and not on their possible orientation. Once they have an organism then they suddenly become Bi? Really? I’m not sure it works like that. 

 

Lastly for all the males and children in this book we do not have the viewpoint of any male children. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Drug use, Grief, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racial slurs

The racial slur was superfluous. The Acephobia is based on my reading of the possible orientation of one of the characters. Chapter three is a graphic depiction of untreated postpartum depression. Multiple characters suffer mild to severe childhood trauma.

rowanrelph's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Murder

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

phantomgecko's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

A mystery, I guess, but it's really about people. How do horrible things affect them?

Good use of braiding narratives though. Love when things are interconnected like this.

Also, a number of things/references that I didn't understand totally. British things, mostly political, some cultural. I don't think it greatly affected my understanding of the entire book, though.

Interesting read, but I didn't love it. The characters, while intriguing, weren't loveable to me. And I spent a good deal of time being anxious/depressed over crimes against children.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

uranaishi's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infertility, Blood, Abortion, and War

gabriella's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

I was mildly disappointed that the attacks aimed at Jackson were completely unrelated to any of the murders. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Cancer, Drug abuse, Medical content, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Death of parent