Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

7 reviews

danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is really fucking good. I had read Douglas Stuart’s second novel “Young Mungo” before I read this one and liked it a lot. But this was another level. And I’m glad I didn’t read it before “Young Mungo” because I think I would’ve compared the two and I perhaps wouldn’t have enjoyed his second novel quite as much as I did.

Through the lens of a young queer boy being raised by, and more often taking care of, his alcoholic mother, we explore themes of poverty and addiction.

This book will break your heart… so, of course I loved it. The storytelling is impeccable. The characters are beautifully drawn. Its emotionality burns bright on every page. I highly recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Alcohol, Self harm, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Vomit, and Abandonment

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Pedophilia

feebles640's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Self harm, Vomit, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Rape

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Body shaming

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Drug use

biggareader's review

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

lilcoppertop's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Vomit

laurenw's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Medical content, and Misogyny

Minor: Blood and Body shaming

kbc's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism

Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

nora__reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Heartbreaking but big hearted, Shuggie Bain is a beautifully written portrayal of the struggles of loving someone with an addiction. 

It is also a portrait of Glasgow in the 80s, at the height of the Thatcher-era when unemployment was everywhere and addiction swiftly followed it.  

Stuart treats the character of Agnes with such care and love, he is both highly critical of her struggle and resigned to cope with it, as well as being tender and gentle with his portrayal. He shows the complexities of loving someone who is intent on destroying themselves. 

This relationship is what drove the story, but in the background of Agnes’s addiction Shuggie was also struggling to understand his sexuality in a deeply homophobic, misogynistic time. 

This book is completely deserving of its Booker prize nomination. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit