Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

72 reviews

synfje's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Death

stripedcreature's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

the best book i have read in a long time. it completely destroyed me but i haven't found myself as emotionally invested in a book as much as in this one for years. the characters are portrayed in such a detailed yet natural way that really makes you feel like you've known them for years - suffering with them, knowing about their struggles, being angry with them and just wanting to hold them. Content warning fpr literally everything tho!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt

lightasmoths's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence

sam_w_r's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

jennadewit's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death of parent, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt

steelfern's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

Ouch. Made my chest ACHE.

A story about the horrors of poverty, and addiction. I stand by my comparison to A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, but I think this book does not have the hope that ATGiB did.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Homophobia

deezy's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

amberlovick's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Tw: alcoholism, paedophilia, rape, self harm and a whole load more. 

*audiobook*

This felt very reminiscent of A Little Life and was not an easy read. I felt this book was brilliantly written and I grew very attached to Shuggie. It was a very raw and explicit depiction of the era and really demonstrated how difficult peoples lives were and the vicious cycles society perpetuated. 

I would highly recommend this book, well worth the read, just read your trigger warnings first.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Infidelity, Homophobia, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Cursing, Death, Bullying, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Violence

greypaperboats's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This is one of the best, most heartbreaking books I've read in a long while. The characters are written with such compassionate clarity. They've found a home in my heart. There is not much I can respond with except that I'll be carrying this story with me, hoping that if anyone has Shuggie's heart it should be everyone or no one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Infidelity, Homophobia, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death, Child abuse, Bullying, and Abandonment

emmarobyn's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse