Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Shuggie Bain, by Douglas Stuart

56 reviews

bw23's review

slow-paced

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

3.75

Well written, excellent portraiture of alcoholism but a slow tough read

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Self harm, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, Rape, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

jessrosenthal's review

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

5 stars
Shuggie Bain tells the beautiful story of the relationship between a mother and son, tainted by the struggles of alcoholism and poverty.
In this covert tragedy, Stuart highlighte Shuggies unconditional love for Agnes, from the ages 6-17, despite how she fails him throughout the years.
Stuart perfectly depicts the affects of addiction on a family dynamic and makes Agnes a lovable character despite her flaws, showing the reader that she has clear love for Shuggie but is helpless in her decisions to become sober.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, and Suicide

Moderate: Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Rape

polichinelle's review

dark emotional funny reflective 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Vomit, Alcoholism, and Physical abuse

emilymdxn's review

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

2.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Violence, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Vomit

leah_grace7's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Death, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Injury/injury detail, Classism, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

laindarko2's review

emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Self harm, Addiction, Bullying, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Death, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Racial slurs and Injury/injury detail

michelsalamouni's review

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Addiction, and Alcohol

mollyyrrose's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

bps's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Injury/injury detail, Infidelity, Violence, Death, Sexism, Vomit, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

hilaryreadsbooks's review against another edition

i’m not ready to let go of shuggie & agnes just like the way shuggie will never be able to let go of agnes. shuggie danced his way into my heart—his softness, his vulnerability, his big words and big love. “what good was a soft boy in a hard world?” shuggie’s half-brother scornfully thinks, but in a way shuggie’s softness is what keeps him alive in this hard world. 

there is a scene where shuggie gives in to the way his body aches to move. he dances and dances just to see a smile stretch across his mother’s face. he is, as described, “helpless to stop it”: it’s a part of him, this musicality. and then he looks out the window to see his neighbors laughing & jeering at him, and he falters, but agnes tells him to hold his head high, to keep dancing. and he does. he keeps dancing. stuart throws hardship after hardship, heartbreak after heartbreak, person after person who doesn’t understand shuggie’s softness at this big-hearted boy. and somehow he keeps dancing. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Rape, Alcohol, and Physical abuse