Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

41 reviews

fallandfox's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Shuggie é um garoto que acompanhamos a trajetória de sobreviver com uma mãe alcoólatra, um pai ausente, irmãos fugindo por conta da dor e abusos sexuais.
Esse livro teve tantos capítulos pesados, vemos eles tendo ações que sabemos que vão ser perigosas e que só vão piorar tudo. Eu nunca convivi com uma pessoa viciada, todos os momentos que li as recaídas de abuso emocional que ela causava nos três filhos me fez querer gritar.
Acredito que o que mais auxiliou na imersão foi a certeza de que o autor passou por essas experiências e levou seu tempo para descrever os estados mentais e traumas.
Foi uma leitura favorita e que eu recomendo, mas já deixo avisado que não vai ser para todo mundo, não só pelo conteúdo pesado e toda a dor que ele transmite, mas também pela mensagem final que dá uma dor, mas mantém o realismo em relação a algumas pessoas que lidam com vício.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

lilacwhisker's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

Shuggie is a real one for sure 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

ellisinthetardis's review

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

“the common man is just as apt a subject for tragedy as kings were.” - arthur miller

i feel like im rating SO many books highly this year but i just??? keep reading fucking amazing books?? dw my review of lady chatterley’s lover will offset that soon 😭

before anything else: please PLEASE check the trigger warnings for this book. it is not a lighthearted read. 

to think that this book is stuart’s debut is absolutely staggering. this is a tragedy like no other, with a background of economic struggle that traps our characters in a dante-esque loop of magnifying their own weaknesses. the writing style is so tender that, despite agnes bain’s many failings, you will only ever want to see her and her family happy. an infinitely deserving winner of the booker prize, this is essential reading for those who enjoy the tragedy of the mundane.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Moderate: Drug use

annatrller's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Alcohol

helen777's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, and Abandonment

burnourhistory's review against another edition

dark sad slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment

bokslukaren's review against another edition

dark emotional sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

What does it mean to be a man? This story tackles masculinity, sexuality, the loss of innocence, and the butterfly effect of abuse. The Scottish slang, phonetics, and social lives were, at times, confusing for a person who's lived in Sweden all his life but very effective for immersion. Shuggie’s life was very different from my own, but many times, I saw myself in him and his distinctive ways. I'm very glad to have read this book and gained a new perspective.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Drug use and Rape

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Such a sad story, though an honest portrayal of alcoholism and addiction. This is about everyone who has fallen through the societal cracks and those whose resilience is more than others can handle. Shuggie is brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War

isabelboswinkel's review

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

foxglovefairy's review

dark emotional 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

4.5

Extremely sad story of alcoholism and its devastating familial, social, and economic effects. A portrayal of parenting your parent and the love and strength it takes to never give up on those whose present and futures are wrought with addiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism