Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold

36 reviews

litavalentine's review against another edition

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emotional informative slow-paced

1.5

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rplunceford's review against another edition

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dark hopeful informative sad fast-paced

4.5

Sue Klebold’s courage to share her interpretation and experience of the Columbine shootings is remarkable. The mother of one of the shooters, Dylan, Sue unveils both the lead up to, and the aftermath of the tragedy. She carefully exposes her own confusion and vulnerability as a result of the occurrence while seeking answers through a better understanding of depression, murder/suicide, and mental/brain health.

The book is a must for any parent. Understanding the tendencies of depressed, suicidal, or potentially violent adolescents is paramount to helping kids deal with the inevitable pressures of life. Dylan was clearly not a poster child for this sort of viloence and yet, he did the unthinkable.
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kbweis's review against another edition

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"Hatred does not obliterate love. Indeed, the two are in constant fellowship."

This was definitely not an easy read (or listen), but I really admire Sue's openness and vulnerability in writing it, and in wrestling so publicly with having to reconcile the grief of not losing just your child, but also losing who you thought your child was in addition to grieving the loss of other children because of the violence your child committed. I don't have much else to say, but I think this is a really worthwhile read for anyone. Definitely not light, though, and definitely doesn't shy away from the realities of Sue's situation. An interesting and hard-hitting nonfiction start to 2025.
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carolineinthelibrary's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Amazing, heartbreaking story about Sue Klebold finding the strength to understand what led her son to commit the massacre at Columbine High School, finding the strength to forgive him and herself, and learning to love him despite the atrocity. Listened to the audiobook after and it tugs HARD at your heart strings.
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jaleeevans's review against another edition

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5.0

This is one of the most touching books I have read. Kleibold does an outstanding job describing her unimaginable loss and pain, while also providing avenues for activism and change in regard to mental and brain health. Admittedly, I entered this book with a startling lack of empathy or consideration for parents of children lost to suicide and/or perpetrators of violence, and I have emerged with a newfound sense of compassion for family members touched by these events. 
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ryanferguson83's review against another edition

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5.0

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akateb71489's review against another edition

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4.5

Sue has a way of helping the reader condemn what her son did, while also reminding them that he was her baby. The conflicting emotions really cause the reader to reflect on the human condition. It gets a bit redundant toward the end, but otherwise I really appreciated her honesty and raw emotion. 
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heathermarie08's review against another edition

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3.5

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teddereadsbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

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qqbear's review against another edition

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5.0

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