Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

73 reviews

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

sraddheya's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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

5.0

I really enjoyed this book even though it made me cry a lot. The author touches upon many sensitive themes but in a compassionate way that allows the reader to sympathise with, and even relate to characters who in real life might be judged harshly. I liked how there were moments each character did something the reader might find annoying or negative but within the context of the whole story, we are able to understand why they did so and how this negative act was actually done out of kindness. I am also amazed by the authors ability to weave together so many rich stories, perspectives, relationships and characters without the book feeling overwhelming and chaotic. The story explores primarily a young son and his now single mothers character development and recovery over the loss of the father/husband, and although I found it very emotional, it was heart warming, informative/reflective and I think will make me more understanding of others actions and relationships.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Self harm, and Alcohol

This book involves a lot of characters with varying mental illnesses and in tough situations, which for the main characters, is a reaction to a horrific death. However, I do think it's done in a way that the characters and their conditions are respected but may still be triggering for some readers.

ka_cam's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.25

Weaving an omnicient Book narrator with a youthful young man who hears voices of objects and unseen entities (including the Book) as him and his mom grieves the loss of his father and finds his way through early adolescence. Some of the characters felt a bit flat/different from a teen boy narrator, but otherwise a solid read. The self proclaimed ‘big question’ is “what is real?” But themes of family, friendship, mental health, anti-capitalism, suffering, zen, substance use/abuse, and family/care.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Classism

chamomiledaydreams's review against another edition

dark 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

This is the second Ruth Ozeki book that I've read, and while I prefer "A Tale for the Time Being," I can't deny how poignant and well-crafted "The Book of Form and Emptiness" is.  I love the way that it splits its focus between Benny and his mother Annabelle, and I like how a book narrates the majority of the plot, with Benny's own voice gradually becoming more book-like as he matures.  Having a book as a character in a book—and establishing that that book is the same one we're reading—seems like an easy way for an author to come across as obnoxiously meta or to confuse their audience.  But Ruth Ozeki incorporates such elements with skill and to a beautiful effect.

The Zen Buddhist elements in this novel are fascinating, as well, and I appreciate how we get snippets of books within a book.  The characters' struggles and their stories prompted me to reexamine my own life, and they made me feel inspired and galvanized in a way that not many books accomplish.  I wrote down at least a dozen quotes while reading, and I'm impressed by how attached I grew to Annabelle and how quickly, too.  It's not a question of her versus Benny, but at many points in the novel, I understood Benny's embarrassment but still felt firmly on Annabelle's side, wanting to tell Benny things, like, "She's trying her best!" and, "Do you have any idea how amazing your mom is, dude?"

Overall, this is a fantastic book, and I'm looking forward to reading more by Ruth Ozeki in the future.  There's something about her style and the subjects that she chooses to focus on that makes the cogs in my brain whir like a symphony.  I hope to be able to write stories that are even a fraction as powerful and engrossing as hers someday! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Drug use, Blood, Car accident, and Classism

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

saltysnails's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

This is one of my favorite books I have ever read. The twists and turns had me enthralled. Such a beautiful and real depiction of mental illness

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

heron_m's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, and Self harm

Minor: Sexual assault and Violence

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

thursdd4y's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

2.5

The ending was lovely, but this book felt 200 pages too long and I really started to hate picking it up. Personally a lot of it could’ve been cut and made everything a lot more powerful and engaging, because at times it felt tedious.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

yellowbinge's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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: Mental illness, Death of parent, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, and Sexual content