Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

115 reviews

avidreadr's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

I typically give all books 5 stars, but something about this read left me with an odd feeling. On the one hand, I can fully see why this award winning novel was so well received. It is wrenching, tender, empathetic and a vivid insight into a life of poverty and addiction in 80s Glasgow (not that I have any first hand experience to judge). 

Of course this book is very hard to read at times, and there are some incredbly upsetting moments. A book like that will always be hard to rate highly because it is obviously "not enjoyable". However, that is not why I took of half a star. 

Maybe one day I'll be able to explain why I took half a star off this read but not today. There was something about the novel that just didn't cohere. Some parts felt too long, some parts felt too rushed, and some key characters didn't get the reveal I felt were their due (Catherine, Leek). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Rape

Minor: Abandonment

geminisoul's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This was a very hard book to read in a lot of parts and really shows what alcohol can do to a family. Shuggie and his family are such characters and it's interesting to see the different ways the face the challenges in there home and community. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

zacharymckay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.0

I was slow to progress through this book. For some reason it was difficult for me to be consistent when beginning this book. It’s possible that the sexist undertones might have made me reluctant in the beginning. While I still feel uncertain about the intention for some of the book’s depictions, I did see myself create deeper meaning and complex feelings surrounding the book’s contents. The prose was beautifully written. I enjoyed how the author executed the transition between narratives as the book progressed. I also really liked the complexity with which Snuggie’s relationship to others and his mother was depicted. This book was quite interesting with storytelling from the perspective of the child of a parent with addiction. I found the second half of this book to be compelling, and I noticed I engaged in more pondering in this half.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol

fionamclary's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

Shuggie Bain depicts the ugly details of alcoholism with deep compassion. It's an emotional journey of rage, despair, indignation, grief, and flickers of hope. I don't quite know what else to say about it that others haven't already said better, just that it gave me an intimate window into many worlds which I had previously known little or nothing of.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Minor: Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Racism, and Fire/Fire injury

blanxx_2102's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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

3.75

This book is quite unlike anything I have read before; I usually read books with fixed plot lines which tend to place less focus on the characters themselves. In contrast, Shuggie Bain doesn't have a plot; rather, Douglas Stuart gives the reader an in depth view into the Bain/ Campbell family life for over a decade of Shuggie's life. Admittedly, this was confusing at first as the book reads quite slow, howerver, I soon forgot this because of how well the characters were written, and just focused on wanting to know more about the characters.

What really stood out to me in this book was how real the characters feel, particularly Agnes. Her though process, her motivations, her actions are meticulously described, making her so unequivocably and irrevocably human that she might as well jump off the page. I love how Stuart provides such insight into the characters' reasons for doing what they do- a behind the scenes, if you will- because, even though they all make questionable decisions at one point or another, you cannot dislike them (the protagonists, some others are pure meanies). I cannot stress enough how real these characters feel- I would go so far as to say they are only rivalled by Donna Tartt.

That said, towards the end the story went a bit too quickly, though I understand that's a product of Shuggie moving and trying to start a new life. However, I don't understand why the book ends when it does, as it seems very abrupt.
That said, this book was an emotional journey and I would be happy to read more of Stuart's work (Young Mungo is actually on my TBR)!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Excrement, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

fallandfox's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

5.0

Shuggie é um garoto que acompanhamos a trajetória de sobreviver com uma mãe alcoólatra, um pai ausente, irmãos fugindo por conta da dor e abusos sexuais.
Esse livro teve tantos capítulos pesados, vemos eles tendo ações que sabemos que vão ser perigosas e que só vão piorar tudo. Eu nunca convivi com uma pessoa viciada, todos os momentos que li as recaídas de abuso emocional que ela causava nos três filhos me fez querer gritar.
Acredito que o que mais auxiliou na imersão foi a certeza de que o autor passou por essas experiências e levou seu tempo para descrever os estados mentais e traumas.
Foi uma leitura favorita e que eu recomendo, mas já deixo avisado que não vai ser para todo mundo, não só pelo conteúdo pesado e toda a dor que ele transmite, mas também pela mensagem final que dá uma dor, mas mantém o realismo em relação a algumas pessoas que lidam com vício.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

lilacwhisker's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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

4.75

Shuggie is a real one for sure 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Alcohol

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

lgtl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

A heartbreaking beautifully written story that explores alcoholism, queerness, harassment and overall, life’s struggles in working class 1980s Glasgow. I wish I could give a hug to Shuggie. 

A new favorite! 💔

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol

annatrller's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Alcohol

stephbysteph's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

5 gut-wrenched stars.

This is one that stays with you and makes you ask yourself/the author/the universe unanswerable questions.

Shuggie is a complicated boy with - to put it extremely mildly - a complicated upbringing. The love he has for his family is heartbreaking at times. At many times.

There are a few nice and/or funny moments that make you feel ok about continuing, and it's written so expertly today you actually really want to keep going. I audio read this one, and kudos to the reader for bringing the Glaswegian accents and slang to life, and for differentiating the characters' voices enough that you could tell who was speaking - but not so much that it was forced or weird. 

I don't think this is a book for someone who isn't in a good mental/emotional place. It's HEAVY. But it's also incredible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Self harm, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury