Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

10 reviews

ashfantastic98's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, and Child death

clemrain's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Misogyny, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Child abuse, Classism, Gore, Violence, War, and Death of parent

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Drug abuse, Excrement, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Rape, and Sexual violence

This shattering story takes place over three strenuous days of a nurse and runner in a maternity ward during the influenza pandemic. It’s a difficult, slow read that dives into the little hours of horrors experienced by the most vulnerable. I don’t really have the words for this book. I had a very vague knowledge of the influenza pandemic. But academic readings don’t do the justice to this tragic period of time. This book does and I think it’s because it’s takes a very small real part of the pandemic and focuses on it. The world is so much more than just the grand scheme of things. I don’t know much about Ireland’s history past the famine most of us are taught about. But of course just like any country, Ireland had its l share of religious trauma. I wanted to scream and yell and cry. The romance was so fleeting but it was impactful. I wish it had been woven into the plot a bit earlier but

it was seamless and quick and sad. Of course Bridie would. Sad end to her, and I don’t exactly appreciate a woman’s death being used as a way to develops another character—even if it’s a woman rather than the regular man in most stories.

Nurse Power is a dear character to me. Complicated and closed, but just doing the most she can while keeping her head on her shoulder. She’s named Power for a reason. Bridie Sweeney, what a darling character. So innocent but so weathered. Beautiful written. It’s a hard read. The old speak and Irish slang had me pause and googling a lot. And there aren’t many books that truly cover such a small space of time in a full novel. As you’d expect it can get very overwhelming and difficult to read. But it’s a rewarding and educational and definitely worth the trek.

joey_marie05's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Child death, Death, Gore, and Miscarriage

ellagordonkhen's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

mxfahrenheit's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Body horror, and Medical content

bookaneer808's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring tense medium-paced

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

5.0

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue is a spellbinding book; set during the 1918 Pandemic in a Dublin hospital it has uncanny echoes of our own times.
Over the course of a weekend, the lives of three women become irrevocably entwined as the stakes are raised, battling for the welfare and lives of the women being treated there. Utterly gripping, a book I couldn't put down.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror

Set in a maternity hospital in 1918 during the Flu Pandemic, so there are fairly graphic descriptions of childbirth and how it can go horrendously wrong.

kathleencoughlin's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

A bit close for comfort at the moment. I liked the story overall, but I'm a bit tired of

reading queer love interests die.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Misogyny, and Child abuse

Minor: War, Suicide, Pedophilia, and Excrement

maggiemercutio's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Bury your gays trope ugh.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

- graphic depictions of birth.

eniatea's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse

marieketron's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I listened to the audiobook for this and the narrator had a great voice and rhythm, but there were two moments I noted where she very suddenly increased in volume which gave me a small jump scare. The story on covers three days, which I didn’t realise at the start and is probably why the ending felt a bit sudden to me. The characters all are distinct and reflect a variety of backgrounds. I could really relate with the main character second guessing herself as she is left in a position of responsibility and authority. She is occasionally overwhelmed but often managed to rally. I’m not sure if I wish we had more of her approach in the current pandemic, but she does bring a human touch. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Gore

Minor: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Vomit