Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Der Distelfink by Donna Tartt

320 reviews

annahill888's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

mausekuchen's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense slow-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

4.0

A good read, though I expected something different plot-wise because of the blurb (focus on criminal activities, even some mafia involvement). 

The writing style and pacing where once again distinctively Tartt and while there wasn't a part that felt dragged-out for me (compared to The Secret History), I still sometimes wondered if what I was reading right now would actually lead me to a point (I'm not entirely sure, though I'm tending to no).

Overall I enjoyed the book, however I was also glad to finally finish it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Racial slurs

Minor: Sexual content and Trafficking

fairytalefootnotes's review against another edition

dark emotional tense 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

2.0

Overall: ⭐️⭐️

Writing: ⭐️⭐️

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes, etc: Coming of Age, Morally Grey Characters

POV: Single, 1st Person

Notable Quote: “In the midst of our dying, as we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic, it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn’t touch.”

The Praise: I liked the general message surrounding the importance of art. I also enjoyed the last 30% of the book. Boris practically carried the entire book for me. 

The Critique: I think I would’ve enjoyed this book if it was half as long. It was repetitive and just downright boring for at least the first 70%.

Final Thoughts: Longwinded and boring. If all of the repetition and unnecessary descriptions were removed, leaving the necessary backstory and the climactic final act, it would’ve been so much better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer

jemappellecat's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Murder

lib_hn's review against another edition

This book is somehow very dense while also containing very little. It felt like a heavy meal with no nutritional value. I grew tired of trying to root for any of the morally flawed characters and I felt swept up into Theo’s anxiety and unease every time I opened the book. Not for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Mental illness

dearbhlanoonan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Trafficking

iloponis's review against another edition

5.0

That maybe even if we’re not always so glad to be here, it’s our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open. And in the midst of our dying, as we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic, it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn’t touch.

im speechless

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Content Warnings

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

eveningreverie's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

95% of this book is incredible, and then the ending is simply far too long. 

That being said, this was an incredibly enjoyable book for how dark, brooding, and full of pain and suffering it is on nearly every page. Theo’s highs are euphoric and neurotic, and his lows are deep, drugged, and oppressively obsessive. This character is insane in every stretch of the imagination, yet just sane enough to be relatable in how he treats others and himself. The central tension is incredibly well done, and the twist was so shocking I legitimately had to put the book down and walk away for a while. 

The fastest I’ve ever read a 700+ page lit fic novel. Tartt is really good, but she sure takes a while to end her stories. The brow-beating life lessons in the final leg were unnecessary and mostly could’ve been gleaned through thematic picking-apart and inference, and the ending to this character’s story is immensely depressing in different ways (i.e. I can only see what he chooses not to reflect on as much more telling than what he actually is reflecting on).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Gore and Murder

amyicable's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

reenashenoy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent