Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Shuggie Bain, by Douglas Stuart

57 reviews

aralu's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Suicide, and Rape

lindsayseddon's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Rape, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Pedophilia, Bullying, Homophobia, Child abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Racism

cos_is_me's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Self harm, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Abandonment, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Blood, Rape, and Sexual assault

bps's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Injury/injury detail, Infidelity, Violence, Death, Sexism, Vomit, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

artemisg's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-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

4.0

 This book is a very sad, bleak read, but so so good. It follows a poverty-stricken family living in council housing in Thatcher-era Scotland. Now, I was not alive in Thatcher’s time, and I’m not from the United Kingdom, so don’t have a particularly intimate understanding of the political climate of the book, but the combination of my limited knowledge of the era and its consequences, and the state of the ex-mining settlement in this novel, I can come to some conclusions. I understand that this book paints an unfortunately accurate picture of the state of lower- and working-class households at that time. It also paints a heartbreakingly accurate and multi-faceted picture of living with alcoholism, whether that be being the addicted, being the child of the addiction, or simply being surrounded by it. 

 

"Don't make the same mistake as me. She's never going to get better. When the time is right you have to leave. The only thing you can save is yourself." 

 

The story primarily centres around the relationship between Agnes Bain and her youngest son, Shuggie. The other members of the family are expertly depicted and fleshed out - I have to commend Stuart for his incredible character studies, but the story is, at its’ core, a study of the relationship between Shuggie and his mother. It tackles the ideas of loving an alcoholic, being dependent on them, and then suddenly becoming their keeper. It tackles the ideas of having an incredibly insular and co-dependent relationship and how other people can sour that relationship. 

 

She'd looked as happy as he could ever remember, and he was surprised how this hurt. It was all for the red-headed man. He had done what Shuggie was unable to do. 

 

Overall, this is a story about hard times, about needing to be someone you are not, about sacrifices and selfishness, and about how sometimes, love can't get you through everything. A truly incredible debut, beautifully written, filled with multi-faceted and sympathetic characters and complex relationships. So so good. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Violence

Moderate: Rape and Homophobia

abbielcraw's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Homophobia, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Self harm, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Child abuse

Moderate: Vomit and Suicide attempt

Minor: Rape

kobra's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Ableism, Self harm, Drug abuse, Classism, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Death of parent, Rape, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Bullying

Minor: Racism

linzipop's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Child abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Pedophilia, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, and Vomit

haleypaige91's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

This was a brutal, complex story focused on a young queer boy growing up in depressed Thatcher-era Glasgow, who continually tries to keep his struggling alcoholic mother together. Definitely grim at times, it’s also an honest look at a time and place I didn’t know much about, and a clear picture of how a child can love their parent no matter how difficult they are. Shuggie Bain is semi-autobiographical, which makes it even more gut-wrenching. Definitely recommend for those who are open to looking at hard situations. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, and Sexism

barbarella85's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/injury detail, Pedophilia, and Homophobia