Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

181 reviews

carla_reads_books's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Violence, and Child abuse

Moderate: Xenophobia

luisagerdsmeyer's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, and Child abuse

anningana's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Addiction, and Alcohol

antananarywa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Bullying, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Blood, Child abuse, Self harm, Cancer, Death, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Mental illness

satinnite's review against another edition

Just couldn't get into it. It is very graphic and dark. By the first chapter you have paedophilia, abuse, drugs and prostitution. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Violence, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Drug use, and Emotional abuse

stephh's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I really wasn't sure I'd enjoy this - everyone said it was an incredibly depressing read, and the list of trigger warnings is one of the longest ones I've ever seen. HOWEVER, I found that, although the book is bleak it isn't a miserable read by any means, and some of the content the trigger warnings were there for wasn't graphic at all.

Shuggie's a young boy in the early 80s living in Glasgow just after Thatcher has closed the mines. His mother Agnes is an alcoholic and, despite Shuggie's best efforts, they live a tumultuous life together with his grandparents, father and older brother and sister. We watch Shuggie grow up across the book and learn to navigate a world that's stacked against him throughout his childhood.

I feel like I can't do justice to just how good this book was. It's given me one of the biggest book hangovers I've ever had, and has been all I can think about for a good week now. I found that, although the book was dark and gloomy, there was always a thread of hope running through it keeping you going. I'm not usually a fan of a book where a lot of the main characters are flawed, but this one was so incredibly well written that I loved following the entire Bain family. I can't wait to read Young Mungo now, and see if that lives up to the lofty heights of this.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Pedophilia

nessidy's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Violence, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Excrement, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape

leontyna's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

4.0

Good writing but it was super depressing read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Homophobia

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Infidelity

Minor: Drug use, Violence, and Death

amy1608's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Bullying, and Homophobia

Minor: Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Blood, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual violence, Excrement, Cancer, Grief, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship

paigebayliss's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

so heartbreaking but written so tenderly. the audiobook was really well read and immersive but made some of the descriptions even more graphic. you just want the best for poor Shuggie :(

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Bullying, and Sexual assault