Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

11 reviews

chocolatechump's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

jcoanbrill's review against another edition

informative 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? It's complicated

3.25

I found this one really hard emotionally, but the ending really brought it all together!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Incest, Vomit, Abortion, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

anenome's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

The story of Cussy Mary really drew me in, she was an extremely lovable and inspiring character.
The book is very informative, I learnt so much about the Pack Horse Library and blue people.
So many traumatic things happen at breakneck speed, it's incredibly emotionally affecting.
The audiobook narrator Katie Schoor was outstanding.

The writing style isn't very poetic and feels unsophisticated, it makes sense because the story is told in Cussy Mary's voice but it sometimes grated. 
The plot is repetitive;

someone bullies or assaults Cussy and somebody else will turn up and save her.

There was some oppression olympics saying anti-blue sentiment was worse than racism which was really unnecessary.

I would recommend this book as I learnt a lot from it and I enjoyed the rollercoaster of emotions it put me through.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

justmys's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Fatphobia, Incest, and Excrement

jilliri's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

4.5

It absolutely blew my mind this is based on a true story. The minute I finished I found myself immediately researching the blue people of Kentucky and Packhorse women during the Great Depression. I found this book both captivating and heart wrenching. Showing the horrors of racism, discrimination, poverty and the evils of man. But more than that, the author beautiful contrasted it with the strength, perseverance, acceptance, and love as shown through Cussy Mary’s story. This girl is strong in so many ways. She deserved all the happiness and love that the author ended the book on. It made me excited for the next chapter of her life, where ever that might take her.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

atringas's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

4.0

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a fascinating and in depth exploration of a time and place in history often not spoken of. Although the main character Cussy is a creation of the author, the environment she exists in, as well as her condition and her job, did all absolutely exist. The novel is woven delicately and beautifully to convey the harsh reality and beautiful poetry of life in these rural communities at this point in time, without shying from the challenge and harshness of the same. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Hate crime, Incest, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

ivyegraves's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

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

This book is just a young adult novel trying to be an adult novel. The author makes sure to let you know that this woman's life is way worse than any other person in the world including the black people living in this real 1930s town. She specifically states it in multiple parts of the book. The author also went out of her way to call the main character the N-word in this novel instead of finding a different slur. The ending comes out of no-where and the attitudes of characters shift with no rhyme or reason. I absolutely hated this book and wouldn't not recommend to anyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Medical content

Minor: Alcoholism and Animal cruelty

literatigeek's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Medical trauma, and Stalking

Moderate: Alcoholism, Police brutality, Grief, and Death of parent

ifersinklings's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. It was an interesting look at the blue people of Kentucky. I had no idea blue people existed so it has opened up my interest in learning more about this condition. I also found the story about the book women to be fascinating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

jenw's review against another edition

Brutal, hopeless and depressing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Suicide

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, and Abortion