Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - N0S4A2

Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

wrensreadingroom's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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chemical_crash's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

1.5

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emilyspex's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

There were things about this book I loved and things that I hated. I loved the characters and the story, but the way the author writes really got to me. Why would a child hold another child "like a lover"? Why did he have Lou and Vic fall in love when he was 20 and she was 16? Why did the author include a racial slur in the middle of his book? Also, if I heard one more description of sweet, kind-hearted Lou as a fatty fat fat landwhale manatee fatso, I might have had a stroke. Honestly, I'm fine with having a character's fatness be an issue or struggle, but the author described this wonderful character as if he hated his guts.

There were long stretches where I enjoyed this book, but I would really struggle to recommend it to anyone.

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gafeni817's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

NOS4A2 was good but at some points was too drawn out. I enjoyed the story itself, however, I don’t believe I will be reading any other books by this author.

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ginakerbow's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious 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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bruinrocks's review

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This novel felt like a mix between The Shining and Doctor Sleep, it follows Vic McQueen as she struggles with the trauma of being attacked by Charlie Manx when she was a kid. I found this novel to be much more enjoyable after I read the prequel comic book Wraith. There is a near constant dread throughout the whole novel, never knowing when Manx will appear to wreck havoc on Vic and her families lives. There is some really strong character development and world building. Christmasland, a place that sounds like it should be magical and wonderful, is actually a horrifying location that keeps the fear at a maximum. With a middle section that drags a little the ending definitely amps it up to a 10 for the last stretch becoming very action packed, and explosive.

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ripxw's review

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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bookbelle5_17's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

NOS4A2

By: Joe Hill

Victoria McQueen has a gift, she can find lost things with help from her bike and a magic bridge. Unfortunately, she finds herself in the hands of another gifted person, Charles Talent Manx. He has a magic antique car that takes him to the magical world of Christmasland, but this isn’t a nice place. He takes children that he feels are treated badly by their parents to Christmasland while draining them of their life force turning them into malicious but “happy” children. Vic was the one who got away and ten years later Manx wants revenge….

Joe Hill, like his famous father Stephen King, knows how to craft a story that manages to be creepy and whimsical at the same time. The writing is similar to his dad’s and he makes references to elements of his dad’s books like the True Knot. It’s straight forward and not flowery. It is not a fast-paced horror but a slow build to the climax adding compelling tension. We don’t know when Manx will strike again or if his minion, Bing Partridge, would snap and do something crazy. I hated Bing with his childish antics and disgusting thoughts. In a small, way I did pity him for he loved Manx like a father and was desperate to go to Christmasland. He never seemed to have grown up and has the perfect mind for Manx. Bing’s use of the gingerbread gas is unsettling, especially as someone who doesn’t like laughing gas with the mask makes me panicky. Reading Bing’s chapters is uncomfortable to reading as he rapes the mothers and talks about raping a father that made wrong choice without meaning to. Manx is a terrifying villain. He plays that charming and wholesome figure, but you can see underneath he is dangerous underneath. Vic is complicated as she makes bad choices as she tries to escape her trauma, but she loves fiercely. The emotional core is her love for her son Wayne. I felt so bad for Wayne as he was caught in middle and used up by Manx as a way to punish Vic. He’s my favorite kind of villain. Maggie Leigh and Lou Carmody were my favorite characters. The ending was perfect.

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