Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Muttermilch by Nora Ikstena

18 reviews

mondovertigo's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy

misty_kb's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

rieviolet's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

This is my very first foray into Latvian literature; I didn't know what to expect but I was suprised by how much this novel captivated me and stuck with me. 

It takes a moment to orient oneself with the rapid switch of POVs between mother and daughter; but, once you get used to it, you can see how well this stylistic choice supports  the narrative and builds on it.

The author depicts the central relationship between mother and daughter in a very striking and heartbreaking way, shining a light on all its complexities and nuances. I also appreciated how Ikstena explored the influence of the historical context (the Soviet rule over Latvia) on the life of individuals. 

This is a very bleak story, with strong imagery and symbolism, at times veering a little too far into harrowing and disturbing territory (for example the metaphorical parellel with the story of the daughter's hamster). I think that its shortness works in its favour. The author condenses various elements of reflection (freedom and domination, motherhood and generational trauma, struggles of mental health) in a little over one hundred pages and makes this gloomy and challenging narrative bearable for the reader. Despite everything, the ending still holds a faint glimmer of hope for the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

snapshotsofabookishlass's review against another edition

emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

manadziesma's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent

Minor: Violence and Abortion

maritvs's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt

eve_kadou's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Suicide, Abortion, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and War

denijaaa_s's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Mental illness

Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Infertility

suakamuara's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

3.5

Diceritakan dari sudut pandang ibu dan anak, buku ini cukup menguras banyak energi terutama ketika bagian sang ibu. Mungkin di awal banyak yang ngerasa sudut pandangnya gak nyambung, tapi makin ke belakang akan saling berhubungan sih. 

Ibu dan anak itu kerasa seperti kutub utara dan selatan. Tapi, sang anak gak ada habis-habisnya memberikan kasih sayangnya ke ibunya, yang terlalu sibuk mencoba berdamai dengan dirinya sendiri. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide

paulap's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

3.75

This was a great book to read in one day. It is about a mother and daughter in Soviet Latvia, their damaged but loving relationship, their worries, the decay of the mothers mental health. 

It is narrated in alternate sections from the daughter and the mother. It takes a bit to get used to it, but once you do, it really works. The writing is effective, emotional and intimate. I really enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt