Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Girls by Emma Cline

32 reviews

lindseyas's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

More than the story of a girl becoming involved in a cult, this book is all about girlhood, growing up and growing into your own skin. Evie is a helpless girl that thrives off of male attention, validation and feeling accepted by the people around her. Russel's cult is a representation of this commonly feminine trait — he is able to use his charisma and air of acceptance to bring in naive women that want the same thing as Evie. He accepts them for who they are, gives the attention that they so desire and makes them feel special. The cult is much less a physical thing and more of a metaphor for this traditionally feminine idea, how young girls are desperately in search of a home where their flaws are considered beautiful, where their spirit can be free and where men are there to guide them and treat them like they are princesses. But, this cult of society has a dark after-effect — this validation only lasts for a small period of time and can results in violent, deadly and disturbing consequences.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Child death, Pedophilia, Self harm, Alcohol, Death, Domestic abuse, and Drug use

emmasilvia's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Classism, Drug use, Murder, and Sexism

definitely_bs's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Genuinely mind blowing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Murder, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

adelexmarie's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Rape, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Alcohol, and Cursing

gondorgirl's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Drug use

Minor: Violence and Alcohol

gwenisnonbinary's review against another edition

dark tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual violence, Drug use, Body horror, Gore, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, and Murder

Moderate: Physical abuse

gildea's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Abandonment and Death

Minor: Drug use and Alcohol

itsheyfay's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Evie, please go see a therapist.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Blood, Infidelity, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Cursing

hannahlouise_'s review against another edition

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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

i for the most part enjoyed this book and read it quickly but it was lacking in parts and i didn’t hugely connect? well written and a really interesting concept, the iconic California 1969 based on Manson murders etc, but i did feel it could have been executed better.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Gore, Death, Drug use, Murder, and Sexual assault

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

The first couples pages of the book were over-the-top flowery language, and I wasn't sure if I was going to stick around, but it calmed down a little bit. I think the strongest parts were the descriptions of the very challenging time of pre-teen/early teenager-dom, when girls are really trying to just figure out how they fit into the world. I did not like the use of "Asiatic" to describe childlike banter - that feels.... not right and insulting to Asian languages. Just really unnecessary. I'm not sure if I'd read this author again because I might just not be able to get on her level of stuffed sentences. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Drug use, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Gore, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, and Excrement

Minor: Gaslighting, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Animal cruelty, and Animal death