Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

50 reviews

iamsammie27's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective 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: Slavery, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, and Trafficking

Minor: Death of parent

narbine's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Alcohol, Slavery, Torture, Racism, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gore, Death, Vomit, Alcoholism, Blood, Colonisation, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting

mandi4886's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Infertility, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, War, and Vomit

Minor: Body shaming, Colonisation, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Stalking, and Antisemitism

sjanke2's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense 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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

storiesofsophie's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

What a phenomenal book. I love the combination of time travel and going back into time to meet ancestors. While at times the pain and descriptions were graphic, they were all true of the nature of enslaved Black people. I was so emotionally invested and wanted to know what would happen next ALWAYS. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, and Trafficking

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

Minor: Rape

mazomazli's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow. This was really tragic but so well done. I’m certainly going to read more of this author’s books now. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Suicide attempt

violetends's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Suicide attempt, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use and Alcoholism

ohlhauc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

Extremely well-written, contained and complete story. A classic of science for a reason!

Butler made it easy to understand the motivations of each character and to show the emotions and consequences of different events. The writing was straightforward and not overly atmospheric, yet you still felt like you were on the plantation. The persistent sense of danger and violence was also unflinching, and it made you care about the characters because you knew there would be consequences.

It was disturbing to feel some empathy for the slave owners during parts of the novel, but I felt that was by design as the main character, Dana, had stakes in keeping the son alive. That didn't make those moments any less unwanted, though. Butler is a master at making you feel the emotions you're meant to feel, and bringing out the heart of each scene.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Rape

Minor: Suicide

fraboo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

This book was incredible. I loved it so much. I found myself to be captivated by the writing, the characters and the unexpected events. It is a raw story that brings forward so many questions about grey morality. Dana's bond to Rufus and need to always save him, no matter how cruel and brutal he can be, is thoroughly developed and culminates in an outstanding finale. The way in which Octavia E. Butler investigates this bond is truly so bewitching and kept me hooked, unable to let go, willing to rush through the entire book just to know how everything would end. This has to be another fave, it blew me away every single time and left me curious and invested in the story. The only negative aspect I could pinpoint is that I felt as if the finale was a bit rushed but still very enjoyable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide attempt, and Violence

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What would happen if a black woman was teleported from the 1970s to a Southern plantation in 1800s America? I love Octavia Butler's work, and this was no exception. It is a really interesting book and does an excellent job portraying the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters. I'd highly recommend this one. Content warnings for racism, slavery, and suicide.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Suicide

Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Death