Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

84 reviews

jaynecm's review against another edition

4.0

Set in Dublin during the 1918 flu epidemic, the story is told over three days in the quarantined maternity ward by Nurse Power who is unexpectedly left in charge of the ward. With cases skyrocketing and staff and resources dwindling, Nurse Power must do what she can to care for her patients.
If you do not care for detailed medical descriptions of all kinds - births, autopsies, flu, deaths - it would be best to avoid this book as the author conceals nothing. The workings of the ward are laid bare for the reader to absorb in all its horror but also all its compassion. 
A riveting, heart breaking story, told in a no nonsense manner which makes it all the more heartrending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content and Medical trauma

katiewhocanread's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Child death

ginabyeg's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book will definitely give you a taste of nursing in the early 1900’s. Story is fast-paced, engaging from the start, told from the perspective of a still-single nurse in the maternity ward during the 1918-pandemic. Some parts get rather graphic. There are themes of life/death, trauma, and religion. While the book was published in 2020, the author had finished it before that time. I find this makes the character’s insights in the book even more powerful, somehow, and the parallels between then and now extra startling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

booksandteatime's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse

brdgtc's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

bookscatteandme's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

a_26_l's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

kimia_hyperfocuser's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Emma Donoghue wrecked me yet again. The way I begged her to not show those nasty birthing procedures on page... Thank fuck she didn't.
She doesn't have any clever tricks, just simple prose and powerful characters. And in the afterword she tells you how the story is based on real events and people.
Her depiction of the profession of nursing is so charming. Both in this and in The Wonder her nurse characters are competent, discip ined, and endlessly compassionate. I admire them so much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Domestic abuse and Rape

lee_s's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Lesbophobia

hdzigurski's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Medical trauma