Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

98 reviews

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

abernathy_33's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Homophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Cancer, Racism, and Death of parent

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

munchanchan's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

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

mortiffa's review against another edition

dark sad slow-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

A lot of trauma, not really for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Suicide attempt

willardbug's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Fatphobia, Sexual assault, and Violence

sha's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

1.5

The descriptions in this especially when they “suck their teeth” 🤢🤮

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

burnourhistory's review against another edition

dark sad slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Abandonment