Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins

12 reviews

miggyfool's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Violence, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Vomit

aisclaradm's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.25

A really good thriller that had me trying to piece information together right from the very beginning. It was so fun to read a book with such unreliable narrators, because it allowed you to come up with so many different theories. Ultimately, everything tied up really well and I found the plotline and reveals made a lot of sense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Murder, Alcoholism, Blood, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Addiction, Child death, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Violence, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Abortion, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Abandonment, Fatphobia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief

Minor: Drug use, Car accident, Drug abuse, Abortion, and Toxic friendship

chamaeleontis's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Addiction, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Stalking, Alcohol, Drug use, Infertility, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

eule's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

3.5

3,5 - 4 ★

This is a great mystery thriller with a deep character insight and an intriguing idea of a story. 

The ending was very satisfying and I loved the idea of "the girl on the train", who saw everything and became involved in the lives of strangers. 
Furthermore, by structuring the book with times and dates as chapters and the division of chapters by "Morning" and "Evening", the concept of this books was pretty cool, however, sometimes confusing, because it jumped around in the timeline. 
Additionally, I liked the described struggles of the main character. Many people suffer from alcoholism and depression, which are very sensitive topics and therefore, it is important to talk about them by not just neutrally describing the condition, but explaining the struggle and the influence on the character in detail.

*spoiler*

Yet, some characters were a little too traumatized (Megan´s history??) and the plot seemed to be a little slow in the middle of the book. 
Also, I absolutely loathed Tom. He is such an asshole and exemplifies all shitty men on this planet. I am sorry for every women that is treated that shitty. I am sorry for every women who is being cheated on and who has to endure gaslighting. 
At last, I need to mention the relationships in this book were very weird (the sexual tension between Rachel and Scott??). Even though, most of the characters were not so likable due to their mental issues and their behavior, it perfectly shows how such problems can destroy a human being. 

*spoiler ends*

To conclude, if you like a character-driven book with a lot of drama and mystery until the end, I recommend you this gripping novel by Paula Hawkins.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Cursing, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Violence, Alcoholism, Child death, Infertility, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Addiction, and Murder

onlymigraine's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Alcoholism, and Child death

Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Infertility

solouncapitulomas's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I was quite lost for like two chapters but once I got it I could't stop, this was the fast paced gone girl it promised to me, also it kinda gave me vibes of sadie and verity

fucking amazing and it made me giggle in the end, ok?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Alcoholism, and Child death

Moderate: Abortion, Emotional abuse, Infertility, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Drug abuse

nklv's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Incredible book and very well-written. The author describes things using all of the senses nicely, bringing the reader into the story. This book had a huge plot twist which left a great impression on me.

This story is dark and does

Spoiler

include murder

, making this a hard and tense book. The author made sure that all chapters were connected and there was no unnecessary information. I would recommend this book to anyone who is ready to have their mind blown!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism and Blood

riversonq's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

how many times does it say the word "fat"?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Fatphobia and Body shaming

soundlysmitten's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The Girl on the Train is a suspenseful mystery revolving around a questionable disappearance. The backstory and subsequent fallout is relayed in simple, sometimes eerily haunting prose from the perspective of three different women. Some people have said they guessed the culprit early on, but the foreshadowing didn’t register for me till right before the identity was made known. And personally, I found the way the author disclosed relevant details to be clever. Especially in how she’d leave certain parts a bit vague, only to follow up with precise information that makes sense in retrospect, but initially serves as misdirection. 

 

As for character development, it’s definitely complex, as there isn’t just one true “bad guy.” I believe the author did a good job at telling the emotional side of the story, really delving into the minds of these women who are struggling with trauma and distorted perceptions of reality. Each player unravels pretty thoroughly over the course of the book. But I appreciated the fact that all three women end up making a decision—if brutal or to no avail—to free themselves of whatever dangerous circumstances/mindsets they’ve found themselves tangled up in by unconsciously subscribing to the world’s idea of what it means to have value as a woman. Although, I will say it was hard to feel anything for one specific character because women not being there for women is something that has always bothered me and she embodies that specific toxicity in the most extreme way.

 

The author has mentioned the novel’s themes involve “women’s place in society, the impact of trauma on our bodies and minds, the slipperiness of memory, and the stories we tell about ourselves and each other.” I really couldn’t put it any better. The narrative definitely covers some heavy sh*t, though most instances of graphic trauma occur/are recalled in the last quarter of the book, as the question changes from what happened to 'whodunnit'. Still, please check the content warnings before giving this a read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Fatphobia, Gore, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Sexual content

Minor: Abortion, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

philippaoderso's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Violence, Body shaming, Death, Murder, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Addiction, and Alcohol

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Blood, Drug abuse, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Abortion