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dannymonty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Child death, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism and Chronic illness
Minor: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Cancer, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy
blau_elmo's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
The themes of drug use in the early 80s, the replacement of heroin with lesser drugs or alcohol or cigarettes etc. all feel very real, and even in the humorous moments, there is a darkness that permeates throughout.
Ultimately, it is a book about the wasted lives of a group of junkies, their desires for redemption (unfulfilled), and the sheer dark power of addiction.
Very unique, very subtly sad. But at least
Graphic: Drug use and Drug abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
thomasdj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Vomit, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Death, Sexual assault, Excrement, and Child abuse
Minor: Xenophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Murder, Fatphobia, and Miscarriage
zoinkie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Medical content, Racial slurs, Rape, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Sexual content, Alcohol, Racism, Vomit, Addiction, Classism, and Terminal illness
chayaxlea's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Abortion, Addiction, Excrement, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, and Drug use
camila_v's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, and Addiction
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Hate crime, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness
Minor: Animal cruelty
porporina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Violence, Grief, Murder, Animal cruelty, Rape, War, Ableism, Fatphobia, Gore, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug abuse, Excrement, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Self harm, Vomit, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, and Classism
beac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcohol, Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, and Sexual content
Minor: Cancer
ailurolily's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Child death, and Cursing
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Torture, Hate crime, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Terminal illness, Death, and Excrement
Minor: Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, and Rape
quinnviv's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
The way Welsh differentiates the characters point of views through the change in writing style and accent was marvellous and I loved the working class perspective on big topics. I would've loved to see more of Stevie's and Nina's character as they presented an interesting outsiders look into the depravity of the scene that Renton has found himself in. My only gripe with the book was that at times I found myself disappointed in the disappearance of story threads but the disjointed structure of the book seemed to reflect the headspace of its characters which I appreciated.
This structure of vignettes coming from multiple peoples perspectives rather than a fully cohesive story was reminiscent of sitting around a table with old friends and telling the highlights/lowlights of the past year. It treated the reader as smart, engaging with topics of systematic injustice for the working class in Britain with an educated but genuine voice of the lower class, as well as forcing you to infer gaps within the story. The moments where the perspective was from a woman showed an appreciation for their resilience when not only are they systematically oppressed but also poorly treated by the misogynistic men in the story.
Practically, reading this book allowed me to process the writing much easier as well as improved my Scottish accent.
Graphic: Addiction, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Death, Child abuse, Body horror, Sexism, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Drug abuse, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, and Rape
Moderate: Alcoholism