Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Vladimir by Julia May Jonas

29 reviews

rewatchrereadrewind's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Infidelity, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Drug use

bronzeageholly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

3.75

Beginning: 

The main character is entirely unlikeable, she has a pernicious inner monologue which makes for an interesting unreliable narrator. It was very intriguing but also painful to hear how her self-hatred is a knife that she twists into everyone around her without even realising.

I found all the characters very considered and real; I reflected a lot on the varying power dynamics in different relationships. You think that the book is focused on titular Vladimir, or maybe it is all about John (the husband on trial and ‘ruining her life’), but is it really about any man at all? Men appear in every rumination, but at the end of each point it is about women and how each perceive each other and themselves that she deeply cares about but can’t admit.

At many points, it was difficult to hear the main characters’ obsessive thoughts and archaic perspectives (especially around the women who had accused her husband), and, after a while, I became a bit bored of the sameness of it. But then the middle arrives.

Middle: 

What a wild mid-life crisis. Didn’t want to put it down.

End:  

I don’t think the ending was for me. The wrap-up did not feel like it pushed me as a reader, especially after such an incredible and intense middle. I felt it would have been better to be left on a cliff-hanger.

When Vladimir goes off in the kayak alone at night and John goes to bed in the cabin is where I think it should have ended. I wanted to be left with the mystery of whether anything would happen to Vladimir and how to case against John would go. I wanted to be able to reflect more on the characters and what I think they were portraying rather than be spoon-fed their futures.

If I were to read this book again, I think I would rather stop reading it around chapter 20.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Sexism, and Alcohol

snowiceblackfruit77's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

jakobmarleymommy's review

challenging dark reflective slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

ifeanart's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction and Sexual content

victaphone's review against another edition

sad tense slow-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? Yes

2.0

It felt like not much happened.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Fatphobia, Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury

taylooney's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

There were really interesting reflective points In this book, and a plot twist I didn’t expect but overall the ending made me feel…icky? I think I have to sit with it a little. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Sexual content

issyd23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense slow-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

3.0

Immensely captivating with a disappointing & rushed ending. Gives ‘I Love Dick’ by Chris Kraus energy 3❤️‍🔥

NB Personally disagreed with 90% of the protagonists’ thoughts & actions + her critiques of feminism, consent & cancel culture in a post me too era - but worth reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

rebeccajolley74's review against another edition

dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Drug abuse

Moderate: Addiction and Suicide attempt

auudrey's review against another edition

dark reflective tense slow-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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Medical content