Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

25 reviews

smithalexis035's review

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I didn’t understand the hype around this book at all. I could not wait to finish it and it took me so long! The descriptions of animal abuse really bothered me and there were some really strange sexual things mentioned. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Domestic abuse

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

nellzzzz's review

adventurous dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Death, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, Murder, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Violence

oujo_umi's review

adventurous fast-paced

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

3.5

I saw the broadway musical first which I really enjoyed and decided to read the book when I found out the show was based off it. It was a  fun story with a satisfying ending.

For the most part everyone felt staticly “good” or “bad” without much development. As someone who typically is drawn to stories for the characters, I didn’t really connect. However the plot’s momentum toward the disaster teased in the first chapter was exciting enough to make up for that. I enjoyed how I could get pulled into the circus from the detailed descriptions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Alcoholism and Terminal illness

rubyslippers96's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Racial slurs, Ableism, and Death of parent

stephmcoakley's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Death of parent, Car accident, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Medical content, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Medical trauma, Violence, and Vomit

bmpicc's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

The prologue was incredible and I was sucked in from the very beginning. The characters, the train, the circus itself. Gruen didn't just tell me a story. She wrote in a way that allowed me to visualize everything. No spoilers, but I do have to say this. I love Rosie.

Side note: I am finding that I greatly appreciate well-written animals as main characters.

"Nothing happens to me anymore. That's the reality of getting old, and I guess that's really the crux of the matter. I'm not ready to be old yet." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent

annmierl's review

adventurous fast-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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Sexual content, Death, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Infidelity, Death of parent, Ableism, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

meowlson's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal death, Classism, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Addiction

Minor: Car accident and Infidelity

justaddwater's review

adventurous reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Classism, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Classism, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Alcoholism, and Bullying

lumatasia98's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, and Rape

Minor: Alcoholism