Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

141 reviews

kiingchika's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

I feel so conflicted? I was genuinely lost the entire book, and then the ending happened, and I was like actually it all makes sense now but still, I feel like the pacing could’ve been better, and I can’t believe it took that long to know what the hell was going on. I enjoyed the characters and the twist was certainly something but I don’t think it was worth putting myself through I just didn’t understand the point for majority of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Animal death, Alcoholism, Child death, and Grief

emnoodles's review against another edition

dark hopeful tense fast-paced

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

5.0

From other reviews I've seen, you either love it or you hate it. They say it's too pretentious but that's the entire point, over privileged teens with seemingly perfect lives and family ties. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcoholism, and Murder

arremsie's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, and Classism

tnemelce's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Blood

Minor: Drug use and Racism

kalyaniwarrier's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

Acceptance of grief is a gift not many can accept, much less survive, in the tragedy of the matter. The same can be observed in the case of Cadence Sinclair Eastman, the protagonist of the novel, who cherishes her summers with her cousins, away from problems and the angst of teenage life, to enjoy love, memory and family. Except, a tragedy occurs that spoils her memory and leaves her questioning of her existence.

We Were Liars focuses on the relationship dynamic between family and oneself, and the acceptance of illusion aligned with grief. A novel with underlying mysteriousness and a void to question the validity of the storyline, e. lockhart portrays life's dilemma's with conviction and doubt at the same time. 

For the ones who find life's chaos entertaining, but confusing to tangle out of.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, and Drug use

Moderate: Alcoholism and Fire/Fire injury

ame_why's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Animal death, Child death, and Classism

amypotiphar's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Physical abuse and Alcoholism

whynotreadwithalex's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Devastating. Honestly, I don't know if I can put into words the feelings this book stirred up within me.
I suppose I should start by saying that I don't read sad books. Like, ever. And when I do, it is by accident and begrudgingly. And NEVER in the "hurt-no-comfort" category. Because I don't like being sad on purpose. Period.
However, a friend of mine gifted me this book when she moved, and after all the hype surrounding it when it came out, and of course the intriguing premise, I knew I was going to have to just power through and give it a chance.
Even though I knew it would be devastating.
And even when I reached the halfway mark and guessed at the truth hidden underneath the lies -- at which point, I knew for certain that I was going to be, you guessed it: devastated -- I wanted to finish it. To feel it and live it with Cady.
Oh, my poor, sweet Cady. How I wish I could just wrap you up in the biggest of hugs.

All in all, this is an excellent book. Devastating, yes. But exquisitely told. Grief is explored in every aspect. And as much as we would all rather avoid this kind of heartache, it comes for each of us. And this book does an amazing job of taking the reader through the process of pain, acceptance, healing, denial, and hope that surfaces even as the wounds turn to scars and the phantom pains set in. I can't say that I loved this book, because it's still so fresh and raw and, well, painful. But I needed it. My soul needed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Classism, Death, Grief, and Racism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Animal death, Gaslighting, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol

s1ck4n's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Death, Mental illness, and Grief

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Drug use

shaleen64's review against another edition

dark emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.5

Without the final chapter I would rate this book a 2 star. However, the ending delivers an unexpected plot twist and does tie the rest of the plot line together well. However, there are many smaller tropes throughout the book that are underdeveloped and important issues brushed over. It’s not a book I would recommend but at least it’s only short!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Racism, Animal death, and Child death

Minor: Dementia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism