Reviews tagging 'Schizophrenia/Psychosis '

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding

11 reviews

princess_marie's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Blood and Pregnancy

Minor: Death, Infidelity, Blood, Dementia, Stalking, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

sargasso_c's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

suneaters'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

3.0

I simply believe women so I was on Lauren’s side the entire time. It doesn’t do as well creating the idea that might be delusional or she might be in the right. Ah well, it all works out in the end. A real page turner, but overall not super satisfactory and I don’t think I’d read it again. 
Her husband sucked so bad it was almost unbelievable if I didn’t already know most are worse. I liked the detective Harper character, but she slowly turned into just as annoying as everyone else. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Stalking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

disguisedposer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

Minor: Dementia

zosiablue's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

I've never had a baby, but this read (to me) like the most chilling, realistic depiction of childbirth and post-partum psychosis. (I HAVE been in a psych ward and that was also incredibly true to life.) A changeling metaphor for motherhood and how genuinely crazy it can make you? Man. So terrifying and well done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

noxernia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Grief

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Medical trauma, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racial slurs, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder

tifftastic87's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.25

I liked this more than I expected to. I got attached to the main character and felt for her, to the point of being actually mad at her husband. 

The author did a really good job of writing in a way that made me feel squeamish at the gore and medical, uncomfortable and tense with the antagonist, angry with the husband and anxious for the detective. The excerpts from fairy tales at the beginning of chapters was also a nice touch. The ending was another punch in the gut and to be fair, I wouldnt have had it different. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Dementia

Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Stalking, and Death of parent

brookey8888's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

This was fine. I was honestly kind of bored during the first like 50% it did pick up after that but I still didn’t care that much. I did not like the cop POV I thought it was pointless and boring. I freaking hated the husband and he can choke. I was expecting like some kind of twist but nothing really happened so that was a bummer. Some parts were kind of creepy but not too creepy. I won’t lie when I picked this up I thought it was a different book because the covers are similar. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

ashleyj_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Such a psychological roller coaster. I have a new thing I love in books: the combination of modern life and Fae lore! This was written excellently.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Grief, and Suicide attempt

amiegold's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

4.0

I initially thought I was going to give this book a solid 5 stars.  The beginning sucked me in completely.  I have never read or even heard a more accurate description of postpartum life.  All of her emotions, good and bad, feel close to the surface throughout the entire book.  She is a strong character and you empathize with her lack of sleep and determination to care for her children.  As a mother of twins, the sleep deprivation is also incredibly accurately portrayed.  How much sleep is enough sleep?  At what point does sleep deprivation change who you are, or affect your judgement?  

Through the entire book, I bounced back and forth between believing that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis and believing her 'delusions' were very real.  I would swing from hating her husband Patrick (with passion), to feeling that he was an accepting and loving husband doing his best in a tough situation. 

I would recommend this book to lovers of thrillers and grimm fairy tales.  I would not recommend this book to new mothers or individuals who may suffer from mental illness. If you like your stories to end neatly in a bow, this might not be the book for you.   

 

Though I enjoyed the back and forth and uncertainty of this all, it fell short for me at the end.  I feel like the author wanted me to decide for myself if Lauren was experiencing Postpartum Psychosis or if there really was a 'fairy' mother of twins that had switched her babies.  I wish SO bad that Harper would have confirmed this one way or the other, as she was the only reliable character.  Myself, I wanted to believe in fairies.  I love the idea that she sacrificed her freedom and her 'sanity' to save her babies.  But it also feels so dangerous and wrong on so many levels! Why the phone call about only 2 voices?  Why the old woman with the book?  These things weren't wrapped up and they can't all fit either narrative perfectly. 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gaslighting

Moderate: Cursing and Stalking