Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay

9 reviews

august_18's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship and Mental illness

Moderate: Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, and Bullying

Minor: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, and Addiction

lancemama's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Chronic illness, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Medical content, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Self harm, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Grief, Bullying, and Terminal illness

daffodilcherry's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

I liked the concept of this book (a memoir where another person is editing/editorialising the events described via notation) more than I liked the actual plot/book itself. That being said, the book was able to ensnare me and keep my dutiful attention while I read it. The two main characters were complex, and purposefully unlikeable. I liked the more supernatural aspects of the story in the second half, but wish that they were a little more exciting. As far as horror moments, the book was more of a kind of drawn-out suspense than 'scary'. 
Wheelhouse items: unreliable narrator, conflicting narrators, meta narrative devices, toxic? friendships, 'is this supernatural or not?', punk music scene, psychological horror.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Medical content, and Gaslighting

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

A boring mind f*ck. Is that a thing? Well, if not it is now! You've got 2 unreliable narrators, the male one is a dull teen boy then a generic white guy with scoliosis (which by the way they don't usually do surgery on until you're done growing) with an alcohol and drug problem, who then blames himself for everything bad that happens. 

I usually like books with odd formats but this one just didn't work. Mercy/Mary's commentary was the only part that kept me reading. But you still don't know what's real and what's not in the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Death of parent and Terminal illness

Minor: Body shaming and Bullying

mandkips's review

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Addiction, and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief, Cancer, Alcohol, and Drug use

Minor: Cancer, Drug abuse, and Bullying

rachelunabridged's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Death, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Cursing

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Cancer and Bullying

leanne_miron's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Toxic friendship, Chronic illness, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Death

Moderate: Gore, Bullying, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol, Cannibalism, and Drug use

thndrkat's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

I’m feeling lukewarm about this book. I liked the 80s and 90s references, that it revolves around a friendship, and that this weird punk kid found actual meaning in working at funeral homes. And I did enjoy the ending, although getting there was a slog at times. But I didn’t find the story thrilling, horrifying, psychological, or any of the other marketing and genre words used to describe it. Even when the narrator was feeling scared and horrified, I didn’t feel that way. It’s actually quite a slow and introspective narrative, and is very light on plot. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent and Bullying

ktdakotareads's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Bullying, Chronic illness, Cancer, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, and Drug use