Reviews with content warning for Cancer - Shuggie Bain

Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

21 reviews

sarah_eggleton's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

It was one of those books where I would wonder about the characters in my spare time. The way Stuart writes about really difficult topics is masterful

Content Warnings

minusy's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Heart-wrenching, frustrating, and unsatisfying – like a good emotional book should be. This book tells a story about grief, tough decisions, unstable relationships and hard work. It's the story of a gay young boy in the 80s, but not necessarily about the topic of sexuality. Every character tries their best to make the most of what they have, but has many frustrations and makes a lot of mistakes. There is no happy ending, although that depends on how you define it. Simply the story of a woman who had little, wanted it all, got lost somewhere along the way between those two points and the effect it had on those around her. And it's the story of her son who tries to clean up the mess around him at the cost of his own childhood, until he has few options left.

Content Warnings

lucykateburns's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I really don't know what to make of it all. I don't have much experience with alcoholism but, being from Glasgow, I am well aware that it is a problem in the city. It goes without saying that it made Agnes a very dislikable character and despite the author's efforts to make us sympathise with her, I found it difficult to like her. I especially didn't like her air of superiority, nor that she valued herself as better than other women for having 'pride' in her looks. I hated that she tried to embody the role of the good wife, but I also can't blame her for longing for what society says women should strive to be and do. The sexual violence suffered by the character was difficult to read, although it didn't go into much detail, and I felt that it was brushed past too easily. Too many traumatic events happened that could have been delved into further but weren't (I mean the aftermath, not the actual events...). That goes for some of the things that happened to Shuggie too.

On the contrast, it was hard not to love Shuggie. I don't know how to sum him up. What child doesn't love their mother? It's hard to grow up and accept that they aren't the heroes you once thought them to be. Parents can be very flawed people and, as in Shuggie's case, so flawed that there is nothing you can do to help them. The whole book felt like a journey into Shuggie's letting go of his mum, he couldn't keep her here for him. I think ultimately letting her go was the best he could have done.

In this sense, the theme of recurring self-harm and inability to recover reminded me of A Little Life, and both share similar endings in this regard. The tragic comparison between Leanne's mother and Shuggie's is something to comment on, but I won't go too much into it. Essentially, it just shows the possible paths alcoholism can lead a woman down, neither of which are positive. For this reason, I think the book has a very depressing overall tone to it, there isn't a fairytale ending but sometimes that is the reality of things. Clearly this was never entirely Agnes' fault, but in the world we live in she didn't have much choice. Eugene must feel eternal guilt.

It is difficult to finish the book and not know where Shuggie ends up, or what exactly the outcome of the journey with his sexuality will be, but I am comforted with his friendship with Leanne. I hope they both find love and happiness.

Content Warnings

bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark reflective sad 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

5.0

SHUGGIE BAIN and I spent the better half of the month together, and I am ever grateful for it. Though slow, I promise you, it's the masterpiece you've heard it is. A story told with so, so much love -- and one I will be recommending left and right.

Content Warnings