Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

4 reviews

amelody's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Slavery, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

vickymcckey's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-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

This is the kind of book that needs a separate book to explain all the references you missed the first time. My advice to anyone reading it who wants to derive as much meaning as possible is to annotate like a nerdy high schooler. Color code references and keep wikipedia by your side to look up any word that seems even a little bit intentional. Because I promise you, it’s all intentional. Parts of this book are disturbing, parts dryly humorous, parts hopeful or sad, but every word has thought behind it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Incest, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Vomit

lindseyas's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

4.5

A coming of age novel like you've never seen before. Set in the mid-1900s in a city where everything is happening all of the time, the unnamed southern Black man, our protagonist, is lost in the chaos. Told from an extremely early point in his life that he should just give in to the white man and white society, the protagonist goes with the flow easily, aiming to please and not be noticed as different. But when he makes his way to New York City, he's forced to be noticed. The protagonist is used as a political prop by a movement that cares little about him, is fought over by opposing sides and is worshipped only for his powerful voice and body — not for his character, his intelligence or his kindness. The protagonist is not treated as a human being, but as a way of being, as a set of values and to further an agenda that he is barely involved in. This novel is all about what being caught in the wave of history is like, and how invisibility, despite its loneliness and often futile attempt at security, is the only escape if we want to hold ourselves dear.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical trauma, and Classism

ratthew86's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense fast-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol