Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

6 reviews

katewhite77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A Beautifully Written Family Saga 

I don't know what took me so long to read a second Ann Patchet. I must have read State of Wonder about 10 years ago and also loved it but have only now picked up Commonwealth. Don’t think it will be leaving it another ten years 

This novel is bookended by two parties 50 years apart, and we follow the Keatings and the Cousins' over those intervening years. 

This is a meditation on how the  briefist of moments can change the  course of life entirely and how differing parenting styles can affect each child differently, both as children and adults. 

I will say the plot does jump around somewhat without much signposting, but I think think this was intentional to make the reader route themselves in the story and encourage them to focus on character rather than plot. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Terminal illness, and Gun violence

canngrob's review against another edition

reflective slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Alcohol and Child death

Minor: Cancer

deebee223's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, Child death, Abandonment, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, and Alcoholism

Minor: Antisemitism, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Homophobia

rubl_b's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, and Death

Minor: Cancer and Grief

kglynch's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

language was so beautiful and the story was told in such a unique way - i loved the time-hopping and backwards story-telling; i wish there had been more character development/backstory for some of the characters but i really loved the way the family and all the dysfunction was written

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Death

Minor: Alcohol

kashby's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Gun violence

Minor: Alcohol