Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell

7 reviews

eloisesal's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

4.5

This book was too much. Too many characters, too many storylines, too many themes, too much drama... But somehow it worked, it's so beautifully written and devastatingly realistic despite the very unlikely things that happened. Maggie O'Farrell writes characters and relationships so well that it feels like your own life after a while. I did get frustrated sometimes: things that could have easily been resolved if two people just talked to each other, one of the last chapters being told from the pov of a totally new character with no relation to the plot... But then it ended up just making sense and I forgave it. 

I could smell the cigarette smoke and fresh country air the whole way through.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Eating disorder, and Abortion

kdwhite's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, and Abandonment

lauratoline's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

Another fabulous story of family from Maggie O'Farrell. Lovable but flawed characters who you will root for.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Medical content

emblepemble's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Minor: Child death, Eating disorder, and Abortion

garlinds's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

I always forget how much I love family sagas until I pick one up. In this novel, Maggie O'Farrell weaves together the relationship between Daniel and Claudette in such a beautiful and heartbreaking way. 

I fell in love with the characters and their complexities, despite the frustration they caused. I enjoyed how the chapters of this book read like a series of interwoven short stories as each character crossed paths with one another, offering a fresh perspective to the story. And though I got a bit mixed up as the story jumped back and forth in time, I liked how the book explored how our pasts are linked to our futures.

Thank you to @fictionmatters for selecting this as the May book club pick! As always, last weekend's discussion took my reading of this book to a whole new level.

This was my first Maggie O'Farrell, and it certainly won't be my last!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Abortion

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Infertility, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal cruelty, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

plumdrop6's review against another edition

reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Fatphobia, Car accident, and Death of parent

wordswithjustine's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

5.0

I really enjoyed this book! I will write a review after my book club talks it over.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Eating disorder, and Abortion

Minor: Drug abuse and Infertility