Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

401 reviews

my_a's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.25

God it was so slow, I waited the whole time for the story to start and it didn't until about 180 pages from the end. By which time I was so bored I just wanted it to end. But I did enjoy the writing style. Just way too long and slow. Definetly didn't need to be anywhere near 800 pages. I don't understand how it won the Pulitzer prize or how a lot of this wasn't edited down/out.

I also found the ending really dissapointing and was waiting and hoping for much more intrigue and mystery, double bluffs. I felt the actual story and denouement fell flat and short, especially for such a long book. Especially the last few pages was so weird and didactic which didn't match the tone and style of the rest of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Vomit

abigailmacy's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse

mylesdoespoems's review against another edition

I love Donna Tartt so much but this is a tough read -- long and emotionally taxing. It is hard to witness so many terrible things happening to a kid without much reprieve. It is phenomenally written though, of course. So if you're in the state of mind where you can read a very depressing book, pursue this one. I will hopefully pick it up again eventually because I am very invested in the furniture guy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, Death of parent, Death, and Drug abuse

elkila's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Child abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Suicide attempt

cleverfoxwithcoffee's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Vomit, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders

storykotori's review against another edition

tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Death and Death of parent

elliehaahr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Grief, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Mental illness

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad tense 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

4.5

Definitely a fatiguing book but the kind of book you’d want to teach or take a class on. So much going on in here! People I rooted for despite myself, the goldfinch as an emblem, the psychological triggers for the choices made compulsively, the life of the painting and the parallels to the soul of the protagonist, ask the people we meet by chance and what that really means, etc. Long book worth every minute and every page.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Violence, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

hollyrwebb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Physical abuse, and Drug abuse

luise96's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug abuse