Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda

10 reviews

amessina3399's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense 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

4.0

It took me a minute to get into this book, but once I did, I couldn’t get out of it. The language of this book is as much a part of it as the story. The way the characters are each narrated is incredibly unique to anything’s I’ve ever read, and one could argue the poetic nature of the narrative voice as well. A highly metaphorical book about adolescence and the relationship between mothers and daughters, this book is a very heady read and incredibly weird, but absolutely worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

hexedmaiden's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

3.0

This is the 2nd book I've read this year with teen girls being a bunch of fuckin weirdos. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Animal death, Rape, and Alcohol

rylee_the_captain_krane's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, and Vomit

Moderate: Alcohol

elisascrive's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-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

4.5

Found myself gnashing at the end without even realising. It always keeps you on the edge. Not a five-star read just because I thought the ending would be much more devastating. Still, the rest of the book is a masterpiece of language and flow. 

It is not an easy read though, very explicit with toxic relationships all over. Motherhood and "sisterhood" are extremely relevant to the whole story and plot, with graphic depictions scattered throughout the novel.   

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia

Minor: Alcohol

gia0203's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-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

3.75

I need time to process this one. Dark reflection on womanhood and adolescence. The writing style was unique - perhaps not a style I prefer, but it was interesting, and  I appreciated it. Fascinating motifs and metaphors. Very Freudian. The relationship between the protagonists was the most interesting part. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Pedophilia, Racism, and Alcohol

andrewhatesham's review

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

Darkly feverdream-like, yet horrifyingly real. This one is for the feral girls. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol

walrus420's review

dark emotional mysterious

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Child death and Alcohol

hi_im_tate's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I loved the formatting of this book. The few reviews I skimmed over didn't mention it. There are chapters that are like regular chapter books, full of text, and then there are chapters that are formatted more like interviews. The chapters, also, jump between characters and past and present. If that isn't something you like, I suggest not reading this book. There were times were it was hard to read because it felt like the sentences just went on and on and on with several words that confused me and were hard to pronounce.

Now, onto the contents of this book. I can see why people call this book "gross". It does explore some intense kinks (biting, blood, guns) with minors, but I thought it was done in a good way when they were CONSENSUAL! Reading about minors doing some of these things did gross me out, but I also have to remember that this stuff in real life already. That was another this that made me enjoy this book. The things that happened in this book have happened and will happen in real life. It makes it much more harder to swallow. Looking at the relationships between the girls reminded me of my relationships with friends growing up (though, not as intense). Having a friendship with a group like this, where two are deemed the "leaders" and one an "outcast" really describes adolescent female friendships well in my experience. Growing up with one person all your life makes the two of you merge together in a way you wouldn't have thought possible before. 

The descent into psychosis felt real to me, even though I have never experienced it. The repetitive movements, the noticing small details, and the panic that is ever encompassing a person made ME feel like I was in her shoes. I could hold empathy for her because of what had happened to her and how she "learned" to deal with it.

The dealing of the religious trauma was probably my favorite part. Denying your sexuality, forming something you can actually believe in, questioning everything you've learned about the religion you were raised as. It definitely sheds light on how religion can fuck someone up.

The imagery from this book was wonderfully grotesque. It was a book I didn't want to put down; not necessarily because it was so good, but because I wanted the answers hidden in the pages. And I still don't feel satisfied with what I got 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship

maragtzrbooks's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Esto es un llamado para las personas que les gusta leer lo oscuro, lo raro, lo intenso y quieren un libro que les clave los colmillos y no los deje ir.

Un grupo de amigas adolescentes encuentran un lugar donde puede jugar, explorar sus límites y experimentar el dolor. Un lugar donde crean historias y cuentan creepy pastas, hasta que una desaparece y sale a luz lo macabro.

La autora con cada capítulo nos lleva a diferentes momentos de la línea del tiempo y con ello a diferentes puntos de vista y tipos de narración.

Una novela única y extraordinaria, con momentos escalofriantes y repulsivos, una historia que confunde, profundiza e incomoda. Explora la crudeza de crecer, de tratar de encontrarse en las sombras, de la maternidad que se ausenta y de la sexualidad que devora.

Sólo al tratar de escribir una reseña me regresaron las ganas de leerlo y de seguir comprando todo lo que Mónica Ojeda ha escrito.

Recuerden leer los trigger warnings antes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

lain_darko's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol