Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

8 reviews

beatriks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is great, a family story, mysterious, dark, light, beautifully written, great twists, good jumps in timelines, overall great storytelling.

A great story about the sh*t women have to deal with in this world built by weak and violent men. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Infidelity, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Stalking

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, and Misogyny

lbh_0327's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Death, Sexual content, Incest, and Sexual violence

Minor: Terminal illness, Cancer, Vomit, Alcohol, Body shaming, Drug use, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

marlee_grace's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Slow paced. Confusing timeline. Too many characters to keep track of. Enjoyed the concept.

If it wasn't for the shameless book club, this would have been a DNF. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Cancer, Child death, Drug use, Rape, Grief, Infidelity, Infertility, and Death

leahrosiee's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cancer, and Terminal illness

Minor: Eating disorder, Grief, Drug use, and Infertility

ciaracullen's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Incest, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcohol, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia

bethanyschaner's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

lyricallit's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

(This may change after a book club discussion)

I struggle to know how to rate this. Initially, I did not think I'd enjoy it, but then found myself devouring a vast portion of the book. There were longish, overly detailed sections I could have done without but overall the pacing was very good. But damn the trauma in this woman's life, in her whole family... I think I heard it called "tragedy porn" and I m trying to decide if I agree with that assessment.

Ultimately I found the ending unsatisfying. I felt that the character development made a good case for the decision she had seemed to settle on... Only for her to reverse that decision in the last 2 paragraphs. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Body shaming and Incest

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Cancer

wally81481's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Incest, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Murder, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Cancer and Drug use