Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

A Dream of a Woman by Casey Plett

8 reviews

finnthehuman217's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Casey Plett is a great example of how to write fiction as a trans person. She writes characters who are complicated and have issues with alcohol. The interesting thing is that Vera who is portrayed in Obsolution and Sophie who is portrayed in the story Other Women, have both experienced nonconsensual sexual encounters with cis women sexual partners and it seems to be a theme that repeats throughout Plett’s writings, cis women are just as bad as cis men when it comes to fetishization.

The focus of Enough Trouble, Gemma is a complicated person who struggles with sobriety and her failing memory. I love Gemma because she is so honest and her scenes with Olive and Holly are so perfect because with Holly she is able to be the drunk girl with the shared faith and the similar upbringing and with Olive, somebody else who loves Ava as much as Gemma does but in a sisterly way. The mini family is so sweet and the way Gemma and Ava end up happy is my favorite ending!!! 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

dazzle_spider_reader_1212's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Alcohol

booksthatburn's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

I am familiar with framing devices in short story collections, but the second time "Absolution" appeared I was surprised because I thought it had been a one-off story of a person navigating a relationship and the possibility that it wasn’t quite what he wanted. Then, a couple of stories later, "Absolution" appeared again with the next chapter of his life. It formed a refrain, a transformational core, running through the heart of this collection, allowing for a slow unfolding and twisting of story in a single character. I let each of the various segments of what eventually is her life get to stand alone, having room to breathe, allowing for a transformation across decades in a way that would normally be harder to get across in a short story. There are many ways of being trans, and of being a trans woman. Most of these stories focus on trans women navigating relationships and interpersonal interactions in a way that’s very focused on their underlying thoughts and feelings to whatever degree they’re able to process or express them. Some stories take place over years or even decades, and others occur in just a few days. 

Some of the stories convey the shifting weirdness of existing in a body that changes in ways which other people aren’t expecting, and the range of reactions to that reality. People living lives that are shaped by this thing that they have in common, told in a manner that allows for meandering meandering and blurriness around the edges. This is an absorbing and fascinating collection, and I highly recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Rape, Suicide, Vomit, Death of parent, and War

"Hazel and Christopher" - Moderate CW for grief, sexual content, alcohol, alcoholism, homophobia, transphobia, lesbophobia, violence. Minor CW for vomit, suicide, parental death, death. "Absolution" - Moderate CW for cursing, sexual content, sexual assault, homophobia, transphobia, alcohol, vomit, drug use. "Perfect Places" - Graphic CW for sexual content. Moderate CW for dysmorphia, dysphoria, transphobia. Minor CW for vomit. “Couldn’t Hear You Talk Anymore” - Moderate CW for transphobia, misgendering, alcohol, eating disorder, self harm, suicide attempt. “Rose City, City of Roses” - Moderate CW for grief, sexual content, pandemic, death. “Enough Trouble” - Graphic CW for sexual content, alcohol, alcoholism. Minor CW for transphobia, war, rape.

thewoodlandbookshelf's review

emotional reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Grief, and Alcohol

linlinlin's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing slow-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

5.0

A quiet little dream of a book, Plett is such a fine writer. Reminds me of Proulx. Even if you're not interested in LGBTQIA issues, this book stands perfectly fine on its literary merits (and has significant resonance if you do care about LGBTQIA stuff). Also refreshing to read about Canada; Plett follows in the footsteps of Jiaqing Wilson-Yang really beautifully in the small town Canada trans femme memoir vein. Fuck! Get your life! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol

adriennne's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Transphobia

boy_topics's review

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Lesbophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

abigailkokitus's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

As is the case with all short story collections, I liked some stories better than others, but they were all lovely and very well-written. Beautiful glimpses of love, sex, intimacy, grief and loss, growth, addiction, and hope. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Sexual assault, and Grief