Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan

43 reviews

caitlinggodfrey's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

nzmerchant's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

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

4.5

This book read like a journal entry of every single unhinged and difficult truth I have had. They way Nolan put so many feelings I have experienced into words - wow, this was such a cathartic read. I truly feel for the MC. For her self awareness and blatant honesty at all her flaws. Ciaran is a red flag but so is our dear MC. 

Unfortunately, the ending made me a little bit uneasy and took me by surprise because there was a time jump where I’m guessing a lot of plot development would have happened. So it was not as satisfying but I’m still blown away but how raw this book was on the whole. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Self harm

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Infidelity

ti_vraga's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-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

4.0

 

A poetic read steeped in self-loathing and the desire for the right kind of love.

This novel was almost hard to read. Not because it was bad- it was great. But because I was able to identify with so many aspects of the self-centered, unnamed main character. It wasn’t a pleasant realization. It felt raw, the way a healing scrape seems to always brush up against things, getting re-opened again and again. 

Megan Nolan navigates the character’s identity-lessness in a way that brought to the surface thoughts and emotions I’d thought long buried. As a woman in her early 30’s, my identity isn’t as ephemeral as it was when I was the age of the narrator, somewhere in her mid-20s. But I quickly remembered how it felt to be unattached, shapeless, to be willing to fit into whatever mold you needed to in order to make someone love you. 

My favorite line of the book is “...I was in love and so I was insane…” I’d like to think such a line is a universal truth to some degree. I have certainly felt that way in the throes of love’s infancy. The obsession of it. The inability to do much else but think of the object of your heart’s desire. To feel useless if you’re not of use.

Read this book for its potency. For its blunt honesty. For its insanity.

Content warning: r*pe

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

augustpeach_'s review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-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

3.75

I enjoyed the frantic, anxious and the flawed aspects from the main female character, mixed with the obvious dose of delusion, panic and the self-awareness toward the self-destruction. Accurately portrays love addiction, anxious/avoidant personalities and attachment styles. 

If you're a fan of complicated characters with unresolved aspects from their lives, 'stream of consciousness-style' writing with short, disjointed thoughts discussed as chapters (glimpses of conversations, scattered/faded memories brought back into light in a self-reflective way, etc.)

I purchased this book and plan on keeping it, due to the writing style alone. As a fan of complicated characters, I feel like there's a second read in my future for this novel. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Alcohol

jaiari12's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Alcohol

v7738v773's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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

2.0

I thought I’d like this book more than I did. The brutal honesty und accuracy with which the author describes the protagonist’s emotions and behaviors were intriguing, but I just didn’t feel good reading this book. It was hard to get into at first and the last third just made me feel dragged down. I didn’t really want to continue reading but did so for the sake of finishing the book. Maybe more fitting for someone else, as I just didn’t feel connected to the main character, especially towards the end. I found it too dark and just couldn’t relate to the overall mindset. Reading this book felt like a toxic and abusive experience with an ending that was neither conclusive nor developed enough for me. Wouldn’t read again and wouldn’t really recommend to a friend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Abandonment

julesloyola'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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

crawforl's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

lilylovespink's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

thesawyerbean's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

5.0

Wow, this was incredible. The writing was so raw, vulnerable and personal, and yet utterly intoxicating. 

The book centred on the whirlwind ‘romance’ between the narrator and Ciaran, laying bare the destructive force of obsessive love on the self. The narrator’s point of view, despite being unnamed, was so intimate that you felt everything that she went through. 

Interweaved with the affecting prose was nuanced and edifying commentary on sex, gender, consent, power and patriarchy, the male gaze and the violence of sex. The flash-forwards to 2019 Athens were rich and clear in these perspectives, providing a stunning contrast to the dizziness of the narrator’s thoughts and experiences in the main timeline. 

Overall, a staggering and important debut which left me stewing in thought for a while after.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail