Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez

40 reviews

donteatmercury's review against another edition

emotional 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

5.0

One of my top reads for 2024. A wonderful mix of family, politics, class-commentary, and learning to respect and grow from your roots.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol

jennipea382's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infertility, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Outing, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

anna_rubin's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Rape, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol

sierraclimbs's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring 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

4.75

This was a fantastically written story. I highly recommend the audio book. It’s a full cast & is just really well done. 
This book just reinforces my identity of enjoying mundane books. When I say that, it doesn’t mean this story doesn’t have a lot of intrigue and/or value. In contrary, I think this is an incredibly important life perspective for people to read from. What I mean by mundane is that there is nothing “fantastical” or “surprising”. It’s just people living life full of struggle, love, heartbreak, happiness & all of life’s other complexities. 
This story tells the story of a Puerto Rican American family growing up with split identity & the struggle that comes with that. 
It’s very raw & real, but also funny & lighthearted at times. 
So glad it was picked for my book club because I hadn’t heard of it before then. 
10/10 recommend 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Outing

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Alcohol

elenareadz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring 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

4.0

While this book delves into a complicated family, I was struck by the idea of how much I disagreed with the decisions the characters were making, but I still couldn’t put the book down. Both Olga and her brother Prieto try to find their identities on the backdrop of two activist parents who left them to figure out the world on their own. While simultaneously rooting for them to get better, you’re shaking your head at their decisions, but as more of the book goes on, you realize why they look at the world in the way they do. I genuinely learned so much about Puerto Rico’s history, culture, and overall activist groups and activities. 

And Dick was aptly named. As much as I hated him, getting his personal thoughts in the changing PoV was extremely enlightening. Here’s a rich white man who doesn’t necessarily hold hate, at his core is deep indifference and care to anyone who isn’t him. As hard as it was reading his chapters, it showed that at their core, rich white individuals truly do not see what is wrong with their actions, their thoughts, or their beliefs because they absolutely never have to think outside of themselves. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, and Death of parent

apwaggy's review against another edition

emotional informative 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Alcohol

rexpostfacto's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Drug abuse, Rape, Violence, and Alcohol

steffieras's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Grief, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Child abuse, Abortion, Death of parent, and Alcohol

readbycarina's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Physical abuse, Abortion, and Pregnancy

ashwaar's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

4.0

It took me months to finish reading this book! When I began it was very strong and I loved the sharpness of the writing but near the end, I thought it was floundering around. It became a bit over-the-top and dramatic for me but I do think that overall it’s a really strong character story on family, community, trauma, and gentrification.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Homophobia, and Racism

Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic