Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

What My Mother and I Don't Talk About: Fifteen Writers Break the Silence by Michele Filgate

6 reviews

cady_sass's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

This is a heavy read. As with any anthology or collection of essays with multiple authors, some things are going to resonate and others are not. I think there is genuinely something for everyone here, whether your relationship with your mother is good or great or toxic or non-existent. A lot of tough topics are handled very eloquently and it may be tough to get through at times but it’s a worthy read. I’d recommend this to most people, I think you’ll find something that sticks with you for a long time to come. I know I did. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Cursing, Ableism, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Sexism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Medical content, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

sakisreads's review

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

3.5

What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About is a hard-hitting, (sometimes) harrowing set of essays written by a range of authors. I loved the ways in which it was so nuanced; even when some mothers inflicted harm, their children found ways to forgive. I read this with the knowledge that regardless of what pain people can inflict on their loved ones, the bond can still be so strong and well, relentless 😳 I found the essay by Nayomi Munaweera especially challenging 🥲 

All in all, difficult but definitely worth reading 👏🏼

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Rape, Body shaming, Child abuse, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Self harm, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

dtierra's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Body shaming, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Pregnancy, Self harm, Bullying, Cancer, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, and Emotional abuse

sjanke2's review

emotional reflective fast-paced

2.25

 

This collection started strong and waned from there. The ones I enjoyed are the only ones I remember (Alexander Chee and Alexander Chee). I wonder if each contributor got to pick the narrator who would read their piece, as I didn't care for a couple of the voices.

 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Grief, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Mental illness, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Car accident, and Child abuse

vlntnmz's review

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Ableism

Minor: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, and Homophobia

livciotta's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship