Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

61 reviews

sauvageloup's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.0

I didn't know this was a verse novel going into it, so that was a surprise, but i rly liked it all the same.

pros:
- poetic language, with some very good poems and thoughtful writing. it carried the story along quickly, moving through time and settings with no confusion and vividly.
- a very accessible story about lots of complicated ideas around identity, race, gender, christianity, coming of age, etc. it covers a lot of topics without feeling rushed or shallow.
- I was especially interested in the MC's exploration of his mixed race heritage and culture and feelings as a British guy and how being black influenced his queer experience. I didnt know much about that at all so that was very rewarding to read.
- the characters were all interesting and you rooted for them or disliked them depending on the character. some were complicated, like daisy and Rowan and had growth. I liked how it spanned a full 2 decades of life really well. we could see Michael's whole journey from barbie playing child to realised and accepted black gay drag queen.
- interesting also to see a British perspective as other books I've read have had a US one.

cons:
- I found the start quite childish in tone. I know it was focused on a child and told from his POV, but the simplistic language felt dull. but i got into it fast and enjoyed the uni sections much more.
- maybe there could have been more depth of background characters, or the book just felt much shorter because of the prose. but I did like it a lot. would have liked to see Michaels and Kieran relationship go further.

overall, a fun, different read from my usual. not prose like I expected but good!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Violence, and Homophobia

helhas3letters's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Homophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Abandonment, Drug use, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol, Transphobia, Sexual content, and Police brutality

angietheace's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, and Bullying

Moderate: Drug use

Minor: Sexual content and Lesbophobia

lycangrrl's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Drug use, Racism, and Homophobia

jachnax's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Racism

Minor: Alcohol, Toxic friendship, and Drug use

blombern's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

Written in the form of poetry

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Racism, Abandonment, Bullying, Cursing, and Drug use

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Sexual content

amazelan's review against another edition

emotional hopeful medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Drug use, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Racism

some_random_person_hi's review against another edition

3.0

I suspect the version I was reading had a couple pages missing.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use

Minor: Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Blood, and Sexual content

krys_kilz's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-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

4.0

This book was a quick read for me and I enjoyed it! The characters were compelling, the topics covered were important, and there was some beautiful writing. Overall, this was a solid novel in verse. 

"I come from my own pen but I see
people torn apart like paper, each a story
or poem that never made it into a book."

"Despair is love
for what isn't
here anymore,
or never was."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Racism

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Drug use and Sexual content

thebookpaiges's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Alcohol, and Drug use

Minor: Racial slurs and Violence