Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

10 reviews

jackjcaseyv's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Just as a warning, there is a lot of violence and extremely racist dialogue.  The writer uses this to portray the darkness that can live within humanity, and tackles modern day problems.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Addiction, Racial slurs, Murder, Violence, Drug use, and Cursing

rei_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Murder, Gun violence, Violence, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Blood, and Drug use

Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Vomit, Addiction, and War

Minor: Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Pregnancy

daralexandria's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Racial slurs, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Addiction, Child death, Hate crime, Blood, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Racism

estam1's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Violence, and Racism

llayaz's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Murder, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Cursing, Child death, Grief, Drug use, Death, Blood, Alcohol, Addiction, Violence, and Drug abuse

Minor: Alcoholism, Mass/school shootings, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Medical content, Gun violence, and Infidelity

clellman's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Violence, Gun violence, Cursing, and Murder

Moderate: Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Abortion, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, and Mass/school shootings

lorit1227's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Murder, Violence, Vomit, Bullying, Child death, and Racial slurs

mysterymom40's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Addiction, Torture, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Drug use, and Hate crime

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, and Suicide

Minor: Suicide, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

brooke_city's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

5.0

TW: racial slurs (seriously,  A LOT), racism, murder on page, drug use on page, addiction 

A simple plot with complex feelings. An ugly time in America's past; and present, tbh.

On the surface, it's about a mother's search for her daughter. At its core, it's a story of hate/hope. (I liked how Bobby put that: the opposite of hate isn't love, but hope.)

Mary Pat is a frustrating character to be in the head of. She fancies herself better than the other Southies who wear their racism on their sleeve, but she's just as quick to make snap judgments. She's one of those "you're a good Black, not like the others" racist.

As a reader, you can feel her desperation of wanting to know what happened to her daughter. And it takes her into some feelings she wouldn't otherwise have, had Jules not been involved in the murder of Auggie. And just when you think "she finally gets it," she slides right back into her whiteness and feeling of superiority.

It was important thar Mary Pat attend the funeral bc there were hard truths she needed to hear, a devastated community she needed to see. And I was glad that Auggie's parents didn't spare her feelings. They weren't the "model minority" to turn the other cheek and sing kumbaya bc they both lost children that night. Hope – represented by an intelligent young Black man, Auggie – was snuffed out that by hate – represented by Jules, who was pregnant by a married man, drug dealer, and pedophile. Stereotypes often associated with Black men.

Mary Pat fostered a home of hatred. Bobby's character is proof of nature vs nurture, bc despite his parents being dysfunctional, abusive drunks, they didn't tolerate racism. I think his relationship with Carmen shows that everyone can have baggage, preconceived notions, diff backgrounds – but can come together by communicating.

It's a heavy, heavy story. And I can't imagine anyone else but Robin Miles narrating it flawlessly. A Black woman delivering a dark time in our history with great inflection. Rage inducing and heartbreaking at the same time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction and Drug abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

popsicleplease'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Addiction, Drug abuse, Racism, Hate crime, Murder, Violence, Grief, Racial slurs, and Death