Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

7 reviews

celery's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

meowlson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual content, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Mental illness, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Infidelity and Car accident

axel_p's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

rebwenhall's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I read this book when I was younger and I just re-read it. This book takes me through a roller coaster of emotions. I love the chapters of Jacob when he’s an old man and still has a love for the circus. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Murder

abbey_ford's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

jenna_justi2004's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative 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

4.0

Lots of thoughts. I love the different perspectives,  Jacob from when he’s 93 and then when he’s like 20 something maybe even younger. The romance was kinda meh, I’m glad it wasn’t the main focus at least in my opinion. I’m really upset that old guy and Walter died. Walters last moments must have been horrifying. I’m glad Jacob took Queenie in. And Rosie especially. I’m also glad she killed august. I wonder how Marlene knew the baby wasn’t augusts baby. The abuse that Rosie sustained was unbearable and unbelievable it was the most horrific descriptions I have ever read in a book. Which also made me hate the hook at the same time. Also the ending, it was literally amazing. I’m so glad he can like die doing something he loves doing, you know in a circus at the very. It’s one of the best ways to end the book I feel like. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

erin_a_ziraphale's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

2.75

Agua para elefantes demuestra que aunque algo alcance el status de "clásico" no le tiene que gustar a todas las persomas ni significa que automaticamente lo haga perfecto.

Creo que el libro se hubiera beneficiado muchísimo de haber estado escrito en la perspectiva de Marlena o una narración en tercera persona, siendo Jacob el narrador que intenta meterse en la cabeza de Marlena.
 Marlena es la que sufre y esta atrapada en primer lugar bajo el yugo machista y las manipulaciones de August, Marlena es quién pone en movimiento a Jacob y la primera en darse cuenta que comparten un vínculo a través de los animales, Marlena es la actriz que actua con Rosie y quien tiene un vinculo más profundo con ella.
 La historia se supone que es de Marlena, Jacob y Rosie, sin embargo Marlena parace el personaje principal; y ni aún así esta bien desarrollada. Marlena es solo la manic pixie dream girl que esta ahí para Jacob aprenda a amar la vida después de la muerte de sus padres.
 Ninguno de estos personajes esta bien construido y sus relaciones parecen estar hechas de papel cartón. Los elememtos estan ahí, pero la autora no supo desarrollarlos bien.
 Y ya ni hablemos de la vilificación de las enfermedades mentales, August no es un maltratador, manipulador, controlador, vampiro emocional porque sea esquizofrenico, ni ser esquizofrenico lo excusa de todo el maltrato al que somete a Marlena, Rosie y Jacob; esta historia intenta ser sobre tres víctimas que estan en una relación tóxica con un manipulador y pretende que excusemos y sintamos penita por el manipulador asqueroso porque, ay pobrecito lo dejo la mujer y alejó a todos sus amigos, no puede evitarlo, es un enfermito mental???? En las palabras ancestrales de mi pueblo: no chingues.

 Solo acabe el libro por la ambientación del circo en los años de la Gran Depresión, al menos ahí si se notó que la autora hizo un mínimo esfuerzo por investigar y lo supo capturar de una manera entretenida y adictiva que no podia dejar de leer.
 En general un libro pasable, recomendable si quiere una novela de romance simple pero palomitera para pasar una tarde en que te aburres.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death

Strong vilification of mental illnesses like schizophernia