Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

35 reviews

char_a_lot_te's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.75

im going to give this book 4.75 stars because i feel like it deserves it but honestly i dont know how to rate it.

it is, an absolute bloody miracle the way Akbar crams, several lifetimes worth of stories into like 300 pages. i read this book in way fewer sittings than i probably should have read it in and felt a bit dizzy afterwards.

this is a story about… nationality and identity, i suppose. about trying to piece together your identity in a world fractured by borders, conflict. trying to find your place. its about love, family, and of course, Martyrs! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Lesbophobia

Minor: Racism and Islamophobia

orlagal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Islamophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and War

bellacolberg's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

fkshg8465's review against another edition

dark emotional relaxing sad slow-paced

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

2.25

This book made me so angry. The protagonist embodies patheticism, and his whole life can only be described as futile.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

zara89's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, and War

theelizabethjoy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

If you have been or are depressed and suicidal, please read this carefully. It does not glorify suicide or death but has deep conversations about it and the longing to not exist. I was in a good headspace when listening to it but I could see myself being pushed closer if I had been in a bad headspace. Gorgeous book, we need more like it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Islamophobia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Racial slurs, Vomit, and War

anna_rubin's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Alcohol

raisinreads's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

I feel like it's been so long since I read the first page of a book and immediately knew it was gonna be good. I absolutely loved the way this was written.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Abandonment and War

catsteaandabook's review against another edition

emotional sad

• 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, and Alcohol

cnnr876's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

i am devastated to have finished. truly one of the best works of fiction i've ever read. akbar's voice is powerful and one of a kind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Alcohol