Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Memorial by Bryan Washington

23 reviews

madelinedalton's review against another edition

reflective 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Alcohol

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Fatphobia

kaii's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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

5.0

this book made me sob on not one, but two, german trains

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, Medical content, and Abandonment

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Grief

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

the lack of quotation marks, the monotonous nature of the chapters, the boring main characters....i just couldn't do it anymore lmao

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Alcohol

mxbenjaminrose's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This is such a tender, melancholy novel from start to finish. I'm not sure why the publisher's blurb calls it a "funny, sexy, dramedy" -- it's a somber and at times sweet reflection on generational trauma, vulnerability, and discovering what it means to find home when the cards you're dealt are stacked against you. The characters are so real and multifaceted, and intensely flawed.

Washington handles parent-child relationships, romantic/sexual partnerships, and even professional relationships with insight and gentleness. I don't think there's a single relationship with completely healthy communication, but how many of us can say the same about our own families? Mitsuki and Ahmad are the sweetest and my favorites of the ensemble. 

The main characters, Benson and Mike, have a deeply unhealthy relationship dynamic, which is enthralling but hard to read. It's a weird feeling to read a not-quite-romance novel with two POVs and be deeply rooting for each of them, but not rooting for them to be together. 

All in all, this is a unique, emotional story with vibrant backdrops, beautiful prose, and angsty inner dialogue, so if that's your thing you will likely love this! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Death of parent

Moderate: Death, Racism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Racial slurs and Alcohol

agnesg's review against another edition

reflective slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Homophobia

lucinotlucy's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol

charlotte123's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Cancer, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcohol

greatu's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

cheye13's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

This was a five star read right up until the end. I'm not usually picky about endings, but this one ultimately left me wondering about the purpose of the story. Which was probably the purpose of said ending! But still irks me.

Beautiful writing, engaging and deep characters. Would not be opposed to a reread – maybe bc I read it in audio, some details went over my head that would've made the ending land better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Minor: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Vomit, and Alcohol

tinana's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Homophobia and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol