Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

27 reviews

uncreativeoops's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Addiction, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexism, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Confinement, and Infidelity

Minor: Rape and Suicide attempt

oatcappuccino's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

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

2.5

not half as subversive as i had hoped. women are blamed for the behaviour of their abusive partners, and addiction is considered a grevious moral failing, and not an affliction that anyone could fall prey to under the right circumstances. there are some redeeming qualities but overall i found it an unpleasant read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Addiction, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Death of parent

eve81's review against another edition

reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Death of parent, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Murder

nanc_282's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Rape, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Addiction, and Emotional abuse

san_dra's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Animal cruelty and Death

mikarala's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-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? No

4.25

Mr. Huntingdon has to be one of the most odious, despicable characters I've encountered. Anne Bronte so accurately captured the behaviour of an abuser that I can't believe she didn't personally experience that kind of relationship. The little ways that Hundington manipulates Helen made me so angry I had to put the book down at times. Bronte also managed to capture the essence of The Nice Guy so perfectly in Mr. Hargrave, so this novel really does a lot in terms of showing women what kind of men to avoid. 

The narrative drags at times (the conclusion is a bit drawn out when we can already see where all of the characters are going to end up like 40-50 pages earlier), but altogether a really impressive work that shouldn't be forgotten in the English literary canon. Compared to Jane Eyre, I found this novel's plot and message to stand the test of time much better. I think the depiction of abuse and the essons learned from this novel feel highly relevant today and would definitely recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Addiction

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Infidelity

rieviolet's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

I enjoyed The Tenant of Wildfell Hall much more than Anne Brontë's other novel, Agnes Grey. 
I liked the writing style and the use of different narrative techniques
(the alternating POVs and the mix of letters and diaries entries).

It is an engaging read, there is a bit of mystery to keep your interest alive and I was also really engrossed in the characters' emotions. Though I have to say, as the story progressed, I felt that the emotional portrayals moved a bit too much into melodrama territory. I also struggled to reconcile some of the characters' choices with their depiction and growth up to that point, they felt a bit unexpected (and not in a good way). 

The themes that are explored (such as addiction, domestic abuse and women's conditions) are really powerful and so releavant even in the present day. However, at times there was just too much of a 
religious focus for my personal taste and that lowered my overall enjoyment of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Alcoholism, and Sexism

Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Confinement, Grief, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Medical content, Blood, and Child abuse

Minor: Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Child death

rivercat0338's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Addiction

Moderate: Physical abuse and Animal cruelty

Minor: Drug use and Blood

lynnannwalsh's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Abandonment, Addiction, and Child abuse

Minor: Cursing

bzzzzzz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

5.0

This is indisputably one of the best novels I've ever read. It is a magnificent depiction of human ugliness and hope. I love how much it quoted and drew upon Scripture, though I don't agree with all her opinions. Anne Brontë is the best Brontë.

I also have to commend the editor. She did a fantastic job in the footnotes, has strong Biblical knowledge that significantly supports the text, and is not afraid to critique Anne where reasonable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Infidelity