Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Violeta by Isabel Allende

69 reviews

the_clueless_tourist's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

mal_reads_books's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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

3.0

I liked the storyline and the characters, though something about the narration style made me feel distant from it as a reader. I couldn’t connect with the characters or feel invested in the story as much as I would’ve liked.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent

chingona_solo's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

"With time we only remember events, emotions fade" sums up the book well. An interesting story but it felt like there were no emotions attached to the events, which was an odd choice. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Cancer and Incest

lexcellent's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

ncghammo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Torture

dfram's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

i loved this book. the writing was incredible, i felt for the characters, i cried and i laughed. i love the format for this book

it reads like letters to an undisclosed person until well into half of the book probably!

i loved the full circle moments where all of my questions are answered. i was inspired by violeta's candid storytelling, i appreciate the historical background of that period of time. violeta sharing and honoring people she loved by sharing their stories is so powerful and moving and captivating. slow start, once i got into it i really liked it! i will be reading more isabel allende books in the future<3 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Addiction, Suicide, and Pregnancy

eddalyd's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

3.0

Der flotte Erzählstil lässt die Erzählungen oft oberflächlich erscheinen. Interessant waren sie historischen Streifzüge. Weniger gefallen hat mir, dass immer wieder betont wurde wie wohlhabend Violeta sei bzw. dass sie auch durch ihre Beziehungen viele Vorteile genießen konnte. Sie kam oft stark privilegiert rüber, was die Geschichte teilweise unrealistisch wirken und mich kaum mit Violeta sympathisieren lassen hat.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Grief, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Minor: Dementia and Abortion

eveningreverie's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective 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

4.0

Expansive and thematically strong, though there are certain aspects to the frame that—at least for me—make some of Violeta’s inclusions a bit confusingly placed. I’m not saying we don’t need to hear

about her getting some good good

, but does her grandson? The choice to leave the country of residence unnamed was strong. 

Will update review after book club discussion.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Domestic abuse, and War

fireinherveinzz's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Violeta was very unlikable to me but she was relatable . Also just wow . This really reminds of wild swans but instead of a 3 generation story it’s just hers . 
Everything from the depression , to genocide, to domestic and financial abuse to addiction . And learning how to really live again at a mature age. Just wow.

if would’ve been interesting to see her grandsons reaction to reading this letter .

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent

jnorwood's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Violence, and War

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Colonisation