Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Quijote by Salman Rushdie

3 reviews

pamnc's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse

bluejayreads's review against another edition

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

2.0

I picked this up because of the author (famous, controversial) and the concept (modern retelling of Don Quixote). I read the whole thing and I'm too baffled to form an opinion. There are so many layers of meta involved that I can't figure out if it's commenting on fiction or society or something or just going, "hey, wouldn't it be fucked up if this happened?" The titular character feels entitled to one woman's affection and stalks her to make her realize she loves him, and I can't figure out if the book is endorsing or condemning the behavior. Nothing seems connected to anything else, characters' decisions sometimes have only a modicum of coherence, and plot events seem to come out of nowhere. It feels like Quichotte is trying to be Unique and Important and Say Brave Important Things About Love or something and only achieves dense and nonsensical. At the same time, it had a way of making me feel like it is actually Unique and Important and Saying Brave Important Things About Love but I'm just too stupid to understand. And that was a unique (and not exactly pleasant) experience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Drug abuse, Addiction, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Suicide, Cancer, and Death

Minor: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, and Grief

Unreality

beth_b's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective 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

4.0

Enjoyed it. Well-written and made me think, but hard to get into at first and occasionally felt like a chore reading it.

At one point everyone turns into mastodons - I think this is supposed to make some big point about something but it felt a bit ridiculous.

At times felt like the author tries to cram a few too many 'issues' in.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Drug abuse

Moderate: Pedophilia and Adult/minor relationship