Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

34 reviews

ka_cam's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense 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

4.25

Beautifully written and still timely multigenerational saga set in chili in the generations up to the election of Allende (‘the President’) and the subsequent coup and descent into authoritarian violence. The named first person narrator was so unlikable and casually violent I disliked parts of his narration. The characters are interesting and I see how it was hugely significant for the time, for me it read as good but not exceptional. Would advise folks to check the content warnings and be prepared for outdated language. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Blood

dommymartinez's review against another edition

challenging funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction and Drug use

Minor: Racial slurs and Racism

mightyoscura's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

lorenag5's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

alicebodnar'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Abortion, and Classism

emmagiverny's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Death, Rape, Torture, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

smuds2's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

So close to a 5, there were just some gratuitous scenes that I felt didn’t add to the characters portrayed in them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

notallbooks_mp's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

peggychecksitout's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

Spanning the years from the 1910s through to the 1970s, The House of the Spirits tells the story of three generations of women from the Trueba family, Clara, Blanca and Alba. It weaves together a tale threaded with magical realism, personal and political upheaval, and some of the most interesting character portraits I’ve read in a while. 

This book is as magical as it is absolutely devastating. Allende's writing is mesmerising, imaginative and gut-wrenching at different turns. There’s a real juxtaposition between the magical elements presented to us—Clara’s clairvoyance, the kooky characters of her spiritualist salon, the house filled with spirits—and the incredible violence enacted both at personal and political levels (I highly recommend looking up the content warnings for this book, so you know what to expect going in). 

The personal and the political are very closely entwined in this story; it’s a multi-generational family saga for sure, but as much as it is about the Trueba family, it’s about the history of the country that they’re a part of too (though never directly addressed, through context and historical clues, it is a fictionalised depiction of Chilean history).

It took me a little bit to get into the story, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down, and the end absolutely wrecked me—you know a book is good if it leaves you sobbing—and I think this is a book that is going to stick with me for a long time. There’s a reason that this was an instant bestseller, and has gone onto become a classic. It was my first Allende, but it certainly won’t be my last. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Abortion, Murder, and War

Moderate: Homophobia, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, and Car accident

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

lighthearted 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

3.5

Agh, such wonderful writing, I just didn't connect to the story or characters much. Can't wait to read more from this author!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Racism, Rape, Excrement, Car accident, Abortion, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Drug use and Pregnancy