Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

17 reviews

peggychecksitout's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Spanning the years from the 1910s through to the 1970s, The House of the Spirits tells the story of three generations of women from the Trueba family, Clara, Blanca and Alba. It weaves together a tale threaded with magical realism, personal and political upheaval, and some of the most interesting character portraits I’ve read in a while. 

This book is as magical as it is absolutely devastating. Allende's writing is mesmerising, imaginative and gut-wrenching at different turns. There’s a real juxtaposition between the magical elements presented to us—Clara’s clairvoyance, the kooky characters of her spiritualist salon, the house filled with spirits—and the incredible violence enacted both at personal and political levels (I highly recommend looking up the content warnings for this book, so you know what to expect going in). 

The personal and the political are very closely entwined in this story; it’s a multi-generational family saga for sure, but as much as it is about the Trueba family, it’s about the history of the country that they’re a part of too (though never directly addressed, through context and historical clues, it is a fictionalised depiction of Chilean history).

It took me a little bit to get into the story, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down, and the end absolutely wrecked me—you know a book is good if it leaves you sobbing—and I think this is a book that is going to stick with me for a long time. There’s a reason that this was an instant bestseller, and has gone onto become a classic. It was my first Allende, but it certainly won’t be my last. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Abortion, Murder, and War

Moderate: Homophobia, Abortion, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, and Car accident

chaoticnostalgia's review

lighthearted sad slow-paced

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

3.5

Agh, such wonderful writing, I just didn't connect to the story or characters much. Can't wait to read more from this author!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Racism, Rape, Excrement, Car accident, Abortion, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Drug use and Pregnancy

erinwolf1997's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, War, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Chronic illness, Confinement, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use

mirireads's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Torture

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Car accident, Abortion, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

perseffable'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

rieviolet's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I cannot say bad things about Isabel Allende's writing style but I had to trudge a bit to get through the book. Personally, it was hard for me to feel much connected to the characters and also to digest some of the crudest passages. 

I have to say that it's been a long time since I've despised a character as much as Esteban Trueba and I cannot emphasise enough how much I disliked the sections with him as a narrator. I listened to the audiobook and I think that I managed to finish the book only because I really liked the voice actress, otherwise I would have given up after the umpteenth of his capitalist rants or descriptions of his male prowess and insatiable desires, they made me want to scream.

I liked much better the final chapters that focused more on the social and political commentary and also the  epilogue with Alba as narrator (honestly I would have preferred her as the main point of view).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Suicide, Antisemitism, Stalking, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

kimberlybetweenstanzas's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use