Scan barcode
sam_w_r's review against another edition
- 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
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
amberinbookland's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence
stayathomereader's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
writtenontheflyleaves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
-
🏢 The plot: Shuggie Bain is born in Glasgow to beautiful alcoholic Agnes and philandering taxi driver Big Shug Bain. When Big Shug abandons his family in a mining town decimated by Thatcherism, Agnes’s addiction takes hold, and Shuggie grapples not only with his enduring love and concern for his mother, but with the growing awareness in him and everyone around him that he is not a “normal boy”.
-
This is the kind of book that you read and find yourself wondering over and over again if it’s autobiographical, because the characters are so rich and real. It’s not “about” Shuggie Bain in the way that Oliver Twist is “about” Oliver Twist - his adventures and the things that he does - but it is about him in the sense that it’s about the places and the people he comes from, the love and pain informing the decisions that shape his life. Family is at the heart of this novel: the ways in which we inherit things from the people who raise us, but also our separateness as individuals in a fractious society, our inability to be responsible for anyone’s survival but our own. I still don’t know if it’s ultimately optimistic or pessimistic in outlook, but it is moving, and it’s a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time!
-
If I had one complaint, it would be that the novel spends so long contextualising Shuggie that you see relatively little of him as a person, particularly as a teenager. It feels a little anticlimactic - but maybe that’s just me longing for a happy ending for this character!
-
🏘 Read it if you like character-driven novels that explore hard-hitting social history, written in accessible prose. Also to pick up random bits of Glaswegian slang!
-
🚫 BIG avoid if you are sensitive to scenes of rape, assault, alcoholism, and child sexual assault. I would urge anyone doubtful to carefully check TWs before reading as it can get quite graphic. This is also not a very plot-driven book so avoid if that’s not your thing.
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Death, Self harm, Misogyny, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
leah_is_dudish's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism and Addiction
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Infidelity, Homophobia, Excrement, Cursing, and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Vomit, and Violence
myhomextheroad's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Vomit
Minor: Blood, Cancer, Confinement, Excrement, Racism, and Racial slurs