Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

46 reviews

hmoring's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-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

4.75

Very charming and very odd book. It covers so many important topics without really being about one topic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Drug use and Self harm

ojudson39's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Self harm

alyal's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I ❤️ Ruth Ozeki! If you liked this book, you should read her other book A Tale for the Time Being. That's what got me into her books. 

I've been wanting to read her other books for years and I finally had access to this one and I'm happy but I want to read her other ones too!

This book is about a boy and his mother grieving the death of their loved one (his father, her husband). They both find different outlets for their grief and find ways to continue to grow even as they grieve.

It's very profound but isn't pretentious or obnoxious, which is Ruth's specialty. She always manages to tackle really depressing subjects in a hopeful way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming and Bullying

Minor: Self harm, Violence, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Murder, and Toxic friendship

faina_lea's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Medical content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, and Alcohol

hollydollyiow's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

4.75

This was a really beautiful book, one I think I’ll recommend lots and return to a few times.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol

stormeno's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Self harm, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Police brutality, and Mass/school shootings

taulkstoomuch's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

perlaesq's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

4.25

It took me 100 pages to get into the book. The meta-book format rubbed me the wrong way at first. However, the thoughtfulness and compassion of the author was evident, and it led to a fun book club discussion. It read like a book I'd read in middle or high school. It could have been maybe 200 pages shorter. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

orlagal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

hduc's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail