Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

19 reviews

bootrat's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

2.0

I found this book too slow and uninteresting, despite the promising premise and setting. I nearly DNFd it a couple of times, and took a break when it got too boring, but I eventually finished it. I also didn't like the main character, especially in comparison to the side characters who were much more interesting. 
Wouldn't recommend, and doesn't entice me into reading more of the author's works.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Suicide, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, and Violence

Minor: Animal death

amyb88's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I hadn't heard of this book untill my close friend told me she was doing a buddy read and read me the synopsis and I was intrigued. (She also had a beautiful versions with spayed edges of bees and I am a sucker for a pretty book) 

That this was based a real phenomenon that occured in the 16th century and was so odd and mysterious it drew me in. 

This is not a happy book but it was a beautiful book.  The author is also a poet and her writing style whilst not written as a poem is very descriptive and rich.  In the authors note it draws links between the attitudes of the 16th century and current times and I feel that makes it even more sad. 

I am now hoping to read the Mercies by the same author.  . 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Blood, Suicide, Mental illness, Homophobia, Death of parent, Miscarriage, and Religious bigotry

albon's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Grief, Death of parent, Outing, Pregnancy, Racism, Animal death, Confinement, Suicide, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Police brutality

znvisser's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

2.25

Hmm this wasn't for me. For the first third of the book, nothing much happens. And just when I was about to DNF, the story picks up and gets interesting, only for it all to sizzle out again. This book had a compelling premise but unfortunately the main character was by far the most boring bit, her character only formed by motherhood, religion and whining. The other characters were way more interesting, and I understand that this helps create mystery for the MC, but a lot of repetitive time is spent mostly with her and I didn't really care for it. The use of the antagonist felt like reading a children's story, as if this book was somehow supposed to be a family tale. So even though I appreciated bits in the middle part, where this story crackles and comes to life, to me it wasn't worth struggling through the rest of it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Outing, Racism, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Infertility, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Miscarriage, Death of parent, Grief, Suicide, Violence, and Infidelity

Minor: Domestic abuse, Murder, and Alcohol

signeskov's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, and Miscarriage

edamamebean's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

Every once in awhile a book comes along that makes reading feel like a fever. This was definitely one of those books, once I was reading it I couldn’t stop and the ending brought tears to my eyes. I highly recommend but please check the content warnings before picking this one up!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Outing, Grief, Infidelity, Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Lesbophobia, Violence, Drug use, Mental illness, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcoholism

bellwetherbird's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Child death, Sexism, Homophobia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

rachellekcmo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The historical setting of this book, and particularly the dancing plague, was one that was not familiar to me before reading this story. I think the author did well in depicting the natural setting as well as the political and religious forces working at that time. It did take some time to build this world for the reader, but I don’t think the overall pacing suffered. The second half was gut wrenching. I look forward to reading more by this author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, Infertility, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Islamophobia

lbutcher's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Religious bigotry, Violence, Pregnancy, Infertility, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Homophobia

mxrumphius's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Suicide, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Animal death, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use and Infidelity