Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Bliss Montage by Ling Ma

20 reviews

reads2cope's review against another edition

3.75

Disturbing, strange, unsettling, disquieting... I can't describe this book accurately, but I guess that's a start. I loved Severance and short stories aren't typically my favorite format, but Ling Ma has done it again, though some pieces were more enthralling than others. The last one, Tomorrow, actually made me gag with horror, which I normally avoid at all costs, so thanks for getting me out of my comfort zone.
I did have some trouble figuring out when each story ended and the next began, going to start begging audiobook producers to leave more of a pause between chapters and put more stress on chapter titles, but maybe that's just me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Drug abuse, Racism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Stalking and Toxic friendship

danibailey's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Xenophobia

Minor: Rape

nataliegray's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Stalking

siebensommer's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

favourites: oranges, returning, office hours 

She wanted a homecoming, whatever that meant. Maybe it was to be overwhelmed by déjà vu, a staggering tsunami wave.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Classism

emweinert's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, and Sexual violence

asolis's review against another edition

Some interesting ideas but too tedious. Stopped during the 4th story of 8.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Rape

odrib's review against another edition

reflective fast-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

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Infidelity, Racism, Xenophobia, and Pregnancy

quesatiya's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Racism, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, and Death of parent

mondovertigo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Eating disorder

eena's review against another edition

dark informative reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• 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

Reading this made me want to reread Severance again, this is more of a 3.5 rating and here are my reasons:

• Ling Ma’s main characters are usually fascinating that she goes beyond the usual immigrant stories that we know of and I truly love how she presented the relationships of her characters here
• This reminded me of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and how for Asian people, especially immigrants, the English language is power and a status symbol
• I LOVE THE TITLE SO MUCH it’s the most realistic part of this collection
• What made me rate it a little lower than most of the reviews here was that I expecting the stories to go beyond just the fantasy of everything because I feel like some bits were confused in becoming a fantasy or a surrealist story. I also thought that it will be unique that each story will be interlaced with each other and this also disappointed me somehow. 

This is truly a high recommendation this year and I cannot wait for Ling Ma’s future works. Big thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the arc! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Drug abuse