Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

14 reviews

novacoconut's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.5

I have so many mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I loved it. It pulled me in and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, and whether she would get her life together. And it was great until the Epilogue. However, I also hated it…some parts were clearly not written by a young girl in her teens, and it took away from the authenticity of the diary. I also didn’t like the way the epilogue ended the book. If left too many questions but not in a cliffhanger type of way, but in a confusing what the heck just happened type of way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Rape, Drug use, and Addiction

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Grief, Death, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual content

Minor: Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

ellievelazquez's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment

razzyreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Addiction, Cursing, Sexual violence, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Trafficking, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Eating disorder, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Alcoholism, and Car accident

chezler24's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

2.0

I am currently giving this book 2/5 stars although I probably would have rated it higher when I read it for the first time in middle school.  I get why this book was written; however, the execution feels a bit dated and cheesy. This book was written in 1971 - or should I say "diary was found" since we're supposed to be reading this under the assumption that this is a real diary from a real teenager - but the dialogue and pacing just feel off at points even for the target audience being older kids/young adults. The book definitely goes for shock factor with all the terrible things the main character does while on drugs and while maintaining her high, yet it almost borders on unrealistic at points. I think the most egregious thing for me was the epilogue ending that completely undoes any progress that had been made without any hope for rehabilitation or even explanation. Also, the handling of sexual orientation was not great at all. It kept popping up that drugs were the sole reason for anyone to question their sexual orientation and gender identity which is just a wild claim that gets glossed over. (Maybe this was to just hint at how naive the main character was, but since the whole book is pretty much propaganda I kind of doubt that there wasn't an ulterior motive.) I did learn that there is a TV movie adaptation of this book so it will be interesting to see how that holds up in regards to the diary format we've been given. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

chemical_crash's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

hoffmann's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

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

0.5

Literally the worst book I’ve ever read. Please read ANYTHING else. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, and Drug use

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Homophobia and Ableism

mellyaimz'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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Despite the drug consumption and abuse - which has been largely contested in this "true account" - this is a heartbreaking and poignant narrative surrounding mental health of teenagers and specifically teenage girls. This resonates deeply as a coming-of-age story.

I wish Alice was able to live.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Sexual assault, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, and Violence

Minor: Trafficking and War

quills4days's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Eating disorder, Biphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Trafficking

Minor: Alcoholism, War, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Abortion, and Suicidal thoughts

kamill3's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

This is one of the most interesting and messed up books I have read in a long time and it completely broke me. I had no idea it was going to be so intensely sad and emotional, but I'm very glad I picked it up. If you can handle intense topics such as rape, gore, and drugs, I entirely recommend you read this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Rape, and Drug abuse

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

1.5

The text is not an authentic text. It is written by someone who has no idea what real addiction looks like. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Addiction, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Outing, Sexism, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

If you have ever struggled with addiction, pick another book to read. Pick one that captures addiction in a compassionate way.