Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Die Mütter by Brit Bennett

14 reviews

emipps's review against another edition

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

3.75

This was a fairly easy and compelling read. The story would unfold with one characters point of view and seamlessly flow into another’s. There are resolutions the reader is still waiting on in the end, but not frustratingly so. There are a lot of heavy topics throughout so check those if you’re affected by the content warnings.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Abortion

Minor: Alcohol

lwl000's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

As a big fan of The Vanishing Half, I expected great things from this one too. I love Bennett’s writing and the beautiful, poetic statements she sprinkles through this novel. Unfortunately, for me, the storyline and the characters just fell flat. I found the characters stale and without much depth; most of all (and this is odd since I usually love some moody/sad characters) they were just all so dang wan and depressing. I didn’t see any character development or growth here, and I felt we ended up right where we started: with judgement from others and guilt/regret around certain life decisions.

I found the treatment of the themes of abortion and sex/infidelity, through the lens of righteousness/piety of a church community, to also be tiresome and unoriginal.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol

awkwardllama's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Suicide, Abortion, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Racism

meganashlee27's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicide, Abortion, Death of parent, and Alcohol

sarahholliday's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Bennett is able to tell stories in a way that feels so effortless—you could easily read The Mothers in a single sitting because it feels like an extended conversation, or a story being told to you by a friend over coffee.

Like in any story, things happen and events transpire, but emotions are the main star of this story—the healthy and unhealthy ways we deal with them, how complicated and layered they are, how they evolve over time as we grow.

I wouldn't have minded a little more meat to the final chapters of the book.

To see how Luke and Aubrey put their life back together, what Nadia goes on to do with her law degree.

I would've also liked to have seen some more intentional grappling with religion and its impact on the characters' lives, but I think that may be a desire informed by my own (white) evangelical upbringing. That kind of deconstructing may not be an accurate reflection of the black religious experience, given the ways the church is tied up in community and political activism.

All of those very small issues aside, The Mothers has proven my theory that Brit Bennett is an automatic-read author for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

jaja_1212's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

The characters felt realistically flawed in their own ways and I enjoyed the writing metaphorical and intimate writing style, which kept me going even although the narrative voice took a while for me to get used to.

After getting such a deep, intimate look into the lives and minds of these characters the ending felt a little too abrupt,  I can see why the author might want to end it at that point in their lives though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racial slurs, Car accident, Alcohol, and War

aseel_reads's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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

4.5

This was such a good read, I really liked the exact amount of plot we were given, we got a good slice of life. Somehow managed to include loads of heavy topics without being too triggering. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

moriahleigh'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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Infertility, Sexual assault, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

amandalorianxo's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

A lot of storylines, characters and grey morality woven into complex people yet you are still engaged throughout the entire story. We meet Luke and Nadia, two young adults who are going through their own traumas in life. Nadia’s mother had committed suicide & it’s caused Nadia to find ways to soothe her pain by participating in risky activities. Being with Luke in secret was one of them, until the two find out Nadia is pregnant. Luke’s mother takes care of it with a simple gesture, causing their assumed problem to be fixed. Nadia befriends Aubrey, a girl who is living with her sister and is fleeing abuse from the hands of her mother’s boyfriend. The story is told from the POV’s of Nadia, Aubrey as well as The collective mothers of The Upper Room church. We are entangled in the lives of these people and their decision making, no judgement cast just a fly in the wall. This raises a lot of questions, especially in the framework of black eyes in a black community. Well done and we’ll delivered. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Death of parent

Minor: Infertility, Sexual assault, Suicide, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, and Alcohol

lissareadsbooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Alcohol