Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

That Reminds Me by Derek Owusu

7 reviews

snapshotsofabookishlass's review

challenging medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Abandonment, Addiction, Self harm, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

boxofcats's review against another edition

challenging dark sad fast-paced

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

4.75

Beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. Found the layout of the book interesting and a small bit confusing while listening, think this can be avoided by reading a physical copy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Self harm

Moderate: Alcohol, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Mental illness

Minor: Child abuse and Child death

egmamaril's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Child abuse

marcellaandherbooks's review

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Alcoholism

maisie_i_guess's review

challenging dark sad fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Self harm, Alcoholism, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual content

nathwani's review

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts

aishathebibliophile's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“It wasn’t the demands of time that told me therapy was over, it was the gestures of arms exasperated by my self-loathing. ‘Who taught you to hate yourself, K?’, was said with a tremor like the slow and contained eddies on an unsettled river. I didn’t know the answer but I knew I could never see her again”

That Reminds Me by Derek Owusu

That Reminds Me is the semi-autobiographical story of K, a young British – Ghanaian boy, who is briefly in institutional care up until he’s 8. As he grows older, we watch in jagged flashes, the slow unravelling of his mind. 

This is a haunting, raw, unflinching and powerful look at the life of a young Black boy in Britain, whose self loathing is deeply uncomfortable to see.Part poetry, part prose, it's structure is an experimental drip-feed creating a cutting and effective mimicry of K's mental state.  I liked the use of the Anansi folklore, the way the book highlights the immigrant child's struggle to straddle two worlds and cultural identity, and the love of literature which serves as a light through the tunnel. 

It is an important story because the reality is that many young Black children continue to be shuffled between the institutional care system and a precarious idea of home. The resulting trauma sometimes leaves visible scars. 

There are several conversations to be had on some of the causes and effects; how the UK creates a pressurised system which in turn creates dysfunctional people; the generational trauma from colonialism, migration and racism that created the self-serving generations of men incapable of giving love; the pipeline of council estate childhoods to the street, prison or death; and finally the inability to have or discuss and disclose mental health issues in Black families. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide