Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi

10 reviews

booksthatburn's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Confinement, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Torture

obviousthings's review

I liked reading about a main character with a chronic illness, but I found the narration to be way too melodramatic. Alana is quick to say things like "The sound tore through the wall of silence, shattering my nerves" when she's mildly startled, for example. It takes all the impact out of scenes that should be impactful.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Ableism, and Eating disorder

kj468's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

I really enjoyed this book! It's a very creative space opera with excellent world-building, strong characters, and interesting political dynamics. This book was a bit outside of my comfort zone (I don't typically read science fiction or space operas), but overall found the world to be accessible and understandable. The character relationships are all strong and go through significant growth throughout the book; it's a great mix of character and plot development. I only docked half a point because I was confused about a few things during the ending, which honestly could have been a me problem and not a book problem. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an action-packed book with great characters (that also tackles some politics!).

Queer representation: Lesbian MC, background sapphic relationship, primary sapphic relationship, primary poly relationship, background bi-female/male relationship. 
Also notable: the MC has a fictional chronic illness that is akin to an autoimmune, chronic pain disorder. Her struggle with this illness is present throughout the book and her physical pain is frequently described. The author does so with care. As a person who does not have a chronic pain illness, I thought it was good representation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Violence and Eating disorder

eating disorder explanation:

the main character's sister is a "spiritual guide"; as such, her goal is to become as thin as possible to "transcend". there is a fairly explicit discussion of her sister not eating and attempting to "become so small she disappears". while the discussion is explicit, it does not take up huge portions of the book.

switchywitchsitch's review

adventurous hopeful inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Eating disorder, Colonisation, Classism, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Terminal illness, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Genocide, Kidnapping, and Violence

podanotherjessi's review

adventurous hopeful 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

4.25

This was such a complicated, delightful novel. The synopsis makes it sound like a lighthearted romp, but this is deep and complex. It explores complex family dynamics, difficulties in navagating relationships, and alternate realities. Just so much going on, and all of it so wonderful.
I would really recommend this for fans of Becky Chambers's Wayfarers series. It has a similar feel, but it's much more focused and grittier.

Characters: 8
Plot: 9
Setting: 10
General appeal: 9
Writing style: 7
Originality: 8
Ending: 8

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Eating disorder

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

morevna's review

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief

lbc's review

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Eating disorder, and Medical trauma

hpepperstone's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Death of parent

nicolewhopickedthisbook's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

So I really liked this book. Romance was a slow burn and kind of on the back burner so I would call this more Scifi genre than romance genre (but it did end in an HFN). 

Sooooo many things were happening in this book. A lot of it confused me lol. Lots of science (shocker) and alternate realities and metaphysical stuff that was cool and interesting just not explained well... it just happened and you had to roll with it. 

If you do that, just roll with it, you will enjoy this book.

Pop Culture Readathon 80’s Round Prompt: Alien (Space Opera

Tropes: Slow burn, POC, LGBTQ+ 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness

inamerata's review

adventurous dark

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

1.0

I do not recommend this if you have any concerns about disordered eating.

I wanted to like this book. It sounded cool and had glowing recommendations, but it didn't work for me.

Poor communication is off-putting in general, but especially in romance. This is even more-so in poly romances. It was believable the crew wouldn't trust Alana right away, but once you're instigating romantic gestures, you shouldn't play coy with things like "current relationship status and dynamic." It felt deceptive and manipulative, yet Alana's confusion and distress were treated like the problem, rather than her being put in that position in the first place. It left me rooting against the entire relationship.

Alana and Nova's sisterly relationship was perhaps the strongest element, and I bought into the tension with them. However, Nova's personal arc was extremely uncomfortable because of its pro-anorexic spirituality that is glamorized to the point

that she saves the day by literally starving and wasting away, and that's the titular ascension

. The way Alana's experiences with chronic illness and pain were written rang true, though, and it was nice to see the topic come up throughout the narrative.

Unfortunately, Ascension's concepts are much better than its execution.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Eating disorder, and Ableism