Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

141 reviews

bbreaddboyy_'s review against another edition

(Read on my phone, page count might differ to the physical copy)

I picked this up simply because I saw it on my twitter timeline and sad to say, it did not get me out of my reading slump. I understand vaguely on where the author is trying to go with this but honestly, simultaneously I do not. What I am further confused by is how did Backman turn this into a trilogy - the plot feels like it is going nowhere.

Additionally, nobody warned me of the rape and raging misogyny this book would contain.

Perfect book if you are just a kaypoh kia who wants the daily gossip I guess? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship

avalon's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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

5.0

I have no idea how to describe it, but Fredrik Backman's writing so perfectly encapsulates the mundane. Every character has a life, thoughts, emotions. I have never seen a book with a world that feels so perfectly imperfect and so perfectly human.
I like the way he writes like its a recollection of a past. Most books do, but Backman always adds "a few years from now she will look back at this moment" and it's such a good detail.

I wanna note that there were times that this book just completely hit me right in the chest to the point where I cried. The way he writes the ins and outs of different types of relationships is so beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Suicidal thoughts

kiwichill's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

beckyjayson's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, and Alcohol

erwikka's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is why I read. The characters are flawed but so human that they carve a place in your heart. I never thought I would care about a fictional hockey team. I legit sobbed through the last 50% of this book. I am so emotionally invested in this team and my boys…especially Benji. Benji may be my favorite fictional character ever. The writing style is unique and will keep you engaged because you get pieces of everyone’s thoughts even unnamed characters. It’s just brilliant. The hard topics are handled with such respect and tact that I was honestly impressed. My friend said it best, there is a you before Beartown and a you after Beartown. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, and Rape

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Death of parent

brandie_abbie19's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, and Alcohol

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Abandonment

Minor: Child death, Death, and Death of parent

lmjones's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.75

I thought this was incredibly well crafted contemporary fiction. You deeply care for every single character that is mentioned and they aren’t few. 
The writing style itself was nothing to write home about (or I guess the translation?). I almost stopped reading because I’ve read a few too many books recently that had very similar styles and I was getting annoyed of it. But everything else about the story itself and the development of the characters was near perfect in my opinion. I loved learning about this little hockey town, and I was blown away by how relatable and true to life the characters were. And the ending!

Based on how books tend to go these days, I was fully expecting Maya to either commit suicide or blow Kevin’s brains out and it the last minute twist elevated the book to another level. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying and Drug use

Minor: Bullying, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicide, Islamophobia, Death of parent, and Alcohol

jenlengland's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse and Child death

kayleejanes's review against another edition

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

mariahkc10's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Drug use