Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

11 reviews

sproutedpages's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Confinement

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Spoiler

Not necessarily a suicide attempt as one might imagine on Earth, and also not a clear suicide attempt

eatingbrains's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Listened to this as an audiobook during a road trip and it kept me engaged the entire time.  I don't think that this will be enjoyed by all since for a sci-fi it focuses more on the crew and slice-of-life moments, rather than the planets they explore, and the discoveries they make.

It does bring up the topic that there is a lot to be said about the ethics of science and experimentation.  I think it all can be boiled down into something along the lines of having good intentions does not inherently guarantee that anyone/thing remains unharmed in the end or even in the midst of the process.  This is true for the scientists themselves and/or their subjects.

Becky Chambers has done an excellent job of making distinct and memorable characters that feel real because the book runs  the gamut of human emotions.  There's quite a bit of existential dread, and it can be rather heavy at times, but it also has it's moments of fun, enchantment, excitement, joy, and happiness.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Colonisation, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Excrement, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt

thoseoldcrows23's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

 If you told me you hate Becky Chambers’ books because you found them boring I’d probably just say “fair enough.” This is essentially slice-of-life sci-fi, and I suspect (know, really) that that is not going to work for a lot of people. However, I personally absolutely love the way Chambers crafts characters and builds worlds. Something about her books just feels so comforting and cozy to me. They feel familiar even though I’ve never read them before, and I can’t help but love them. This book in particular I didn't like quite as much as The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, but I chalk that up mostly to this being a novella and me not having as much time with the characters. Effectively ,this is not a book for everyone (it's kind of slow, and it's much more concerned with theme than with plot), but it is very much for me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Cursing, and Sexual content

switchywitchsitch's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

Freaking excellent. Visionary and creative. The ending (no spoilers) is one that has really stuck with me. I need other people to read it and talk to me about it, because I'm still not done processing six months later.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment and Confinement

Moderate: War, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness

librarymouse's review

adventurous challenging mysterious slow-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

4.0

I am filled with existential anxiety, but I adore the crew of the Merian. Ariadne is a fun narrator, Elena and Jack add necessary tension, and Chikondi is easy to love. The amorous dynamics of the crew are really neat, and I love how they differ from humanity as it is now. Collectivism and honoring the goals, sacrifices, and ethos of the organization they've loved and believe in overall is a fantastic way to tie up a thought provoking story.
This concept could have easily sent me down a panic spiral, but the groundedness of the crew and their tender and sincere humanity makes this story as comfortable as it can be, given the circumstances.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Animal death, Confinement, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

marlandreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, and Animal death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Grief, and Death

cfell's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Mental illness

anonymous_antagonist's review against another edition

inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

A novella about an astronaut polycule tackling philosophical questions about discovery, colonization, and the concept of knowledge without commodification. I think this book was written for me personally. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

rowan92579's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts

pragmastery's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Looking for a character driven story that you won't be able to stop thinking about? What about a quick story with "realistic" aliens and space travel? What about a book that is just beautifully written with strong voice and fantastic craftsmanship? This book is simultaneously a hug and a thump on the back of the noggin. It is cozy and comforting while also forcing the reader to think and handling heavier topics. Also, casual queer representation? Count me in.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, and I can't wait to read more books by Becky Chambers. That's really all I can say about this. Go in blind, because it's short.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Medical content, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual content

Sexual content is consensual and not explicitly showed, but instead implicitly implied.