Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak

14 reviews

terppsi's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad 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

4.25

I really loved the first part, how the memories were evoked from smells and tastes.
Second part could have been shorter, that's the only reason I don't give it a 5.
Very curious about her other work

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, and Alcohol

daniellekat's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

I loved part one (Mind) and thought this was on its way to 5 stars, but parts 2 (Body) and 3 (Soul) lost me. Shafak is a masterful writer and her descriptive style perfectly suits the novel's time and setting. My main criticism with this is the same for my last Shafak read (The Island of Missing Trees) - too much information is given to the reader. Especially in Part 2, there were too many perspectives and explicit details that I thought would have been more powerful left untold. I loved the found family aspect of this book and the way their grief manifested among them. I wish we were given more time with each of the friends but overall this was another well balanced blend of history and fiction. I highly recommend checking the content warnings on this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Self harm, Transphobia, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

alex_wordweaver's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad 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? Yes

5.0

This book was wonderful. So, so, so, soooo good. Beautiful book, wonderful cast of characters. Loved this book so much.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Transphobia, and Violence

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Violence

carolinebl's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

I love how Elif Shafak writes of Istanbul, honestly and brutally whilst also lovingly. This is another complex, dark, funny and deeply human novel. The story of Tequila Leila deserves to be told, though in many ways this was the story of the people that formed her life. Some aspects of characterisation were too much for me, such as the names (Sabotage, Zaynab122 etc.) but it was overall a beautifully written story of friendship and struggle.

I still have questions about D/Ali. And did Leila know that Sabotage was in love with her? I’m glad he didn’t die with her body, but was forced to confront his divided life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Grief

Moderate: Self harm, Transphobia, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Addiction, Incest, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Panic attacks/disorders

libraryofconnor's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, and Sexual assault

mariaminthebooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, and Abandonment

hanamany's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

moonchildjuli's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

alomie's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

A story of a woman's life as told through her memories in the last 10 minutes and 38 seconds as her brain shuts down.

I found this story very moving and hard to read in parts a tragic story and her abrupt death. There is hope mixed in there with the 5 friends and their stories but also some great sadness.

A comment on Sex work in Istanbul, the struggles of the trans community and the harsh realities of a repressed nation and its obvious disdain for women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Grief, Abortion, and Sexual harassment

bethnash's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Self harm, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol