Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot

56 reviews

blueyballoon's review against another edition

dark emotional informative medium-paced

i loved this even though it was hard to follow sometimes and there were things i didn’t fully understand. but i think that’s the point of this book. as a white woman who has not experienced the even remotely close to the same psychological trauma Mailhot did, i am simply meant to sit with her scattered writing from the mental health institution and take in bits and pieces of her native language. this memoir serves as a window into the mind of an Indian woman who has experienced horrific things and been treated like she was worth nothing. some chapters were just heartbreaking, but this book was incredible and i would absolutely recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Eating disorder

shewasreadergrl's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

This book was heartbreaking and heart broken. Beautiful, honest prose.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

theboricuabookworm's review against another edition

Gripping and raw. The lyrical way Mailhot writes about pain and trauma and grief will leave you gasping.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

mdavis26's review against another edition

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Mental illness, Self harm, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

holasoyyo's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

3.5

It's hard to adequately rate memoirs because they're so personal and can be unique in what a memoir means to the writer, and this was no exception. I took in Heart Berries via audiobook and unfortunately I find that specific narrator to just not do the books justice that they read. I also struggled a lot with the perspective as the reader being that of a toxic ex for most of the book, had to really make myself push through that aspect and finish the book. I'm glad I did, especially to hear the QA and the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

leweylibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.25

I'm struggling to rate this one because I don't feel like I have adequate words to do so?

I struggled with the format--or lack thereof really--and the audiobook narrator. I actually got like 35% through and then had to restart it waaaaay slower because I was finding myself missing things and not paying attention. I definitely think I would've done better with it reading it physically, there are just way too many poetic moments and literary devices at work for me to track on audio. I'm grateful for the Q&A style afterwords because it did clear up some of what the author was attempting to do. Like I now have a greater appreciation for the work she put into making her writing seem simple and punchy when while reading it, it mostly just felt jarring and hard to follow or stay invested in. 

The topics covered are obviously intense. Big trigger warnings for a lot. Covering them is absolutely vital to her story, though, and her journey towards reconciliation and healing.

Overall, I can tell it was brilliant, it just wasn't totally for me in this format. And that's okay and doesn't detract from the skill it took to write it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

carnimdream's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Racism, Violence, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Minor: Chronic illness and Abortion

akgrantmatz's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

3.25

I don't know if this style is for me. The prose is incredible, and the story, anger, and honesty are important. But the brutal honesty and lack of a sense of Terese as a person almost reads to me as dehumanizing. The substance of the book is difficult, but the voice is uncomfortable.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Abortion, and Alcohol

Minor: Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

kelsey_kels's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Self harm, Death of parent, and Alcohol

calcijade's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Self harm, and Death of parent