Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - Sunshine Nails

Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

spicycronereads's review

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.25

This was a book club pick so a bit outside what I typically read. I enjoyed it. However there were a lot of plot points that went nowhere, and a few that seemed to come from nowhere.

For example, when Jessica describes Hamza as “tall and lanky with a noticeable dimple on the right side of his mouth, like a period at the end of a sentence,” I really thought we were going to see more of him. But then we don’t see him again for most of the book and when he does reappear, they don’t make a connection. Mackenzie’s angel investor dad is another example… so much story potential. This wasn’t a mystery novel; we don’t need red herrings!

The story is split across five points of view of a first generation Vietnamese Canadian family - the parents Phil and Debbie, siblings Dustin and Jessica, and cousin Thuy. As a result of such a divided narrative, we seem to get only the most superficial insights / character arcs.

That said, there are many things to like about the novel. There are some interesting glimpses into the Vietnamese immigrant community in Canada and some lovely moments of family connection and love.

There is a lot of racial diversity which makes the diverse representation quite prominent. The five MCs are all Vietnamese. Dustin’s girlfriend is South Asian, and there is an entire community of aunties, uncles, cousins, etc whom we glimpse briefly. We see some class struggle and the effects of gentrification as well.

I read a review that praised how the novel deals with racism. In my opinion it doesn’t actually address the racist things that happen in the story. They happen and then the narrative quickly moves past them. Maybe that is to illustrate just how banal the casual racism and micro-aggressions are, but it left me wanting more.

There is no spice to speak of. A few, very brief scenes where characters are intimate. The details are not quite closed door but not open either, so maybe cracked door? This is not a romance novel and the romantic relationships are in the background in favor of the family dynamics.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel. We had a great book club discussion about it. I recommend it to those interested in complex family dynamics or the Vietnamese immigrant experience in North America. 3.25 ⭐️

Content Warnings

kdailyreads's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Content Warnings

carlyjoann's review against another edition

Go to review page

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? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

bitternortherner's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful 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

The cover is so deceiving! I downloaded the audiobook, thinking I was branching out into romance, but this is far from it. A family drama of fighting gentrification and expectations of assimilation.

If you love the show Kim's Convenience, you will love this.

The amount of shenanigans this family gets into is hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking, but always drawing them closer to each other. The perspective switches between each family member, offering a multifaceted take on the ever changing dynamics of the neighborhood and inner circle.

This was still a bit out of my typical reading zone (sci-fi, fantasy, horror), and I did have some issues staying interested because of my initial incorrect assumption that this was romance. That was absolutely my bad!

The audiobook has a complete cast for each family member and was really fun to listen to. The mom is so sassy, I absolutely imagine my feisty Viet Auntie when her parts come up.

Content Warnings