Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

As Vantagens de Ser Invisível by Stephen Chbosky

36 reviews

shannay_05's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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booksalacarte's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad 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

4.0

I’m including trigger warnings because I had NO idea what was covered in this book.

Child abuse, Sexual abuse, Rape, Pedophelia, Molestation, Drug use, Alcohol abuse, Incest, Homophobia, Bullying, Suicide/suicidal thoughts, Grief, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorder, Mental illness, Addiction
Hate crime, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalism

How did I miss this book? How is this the first time I’ve read it?! I was doubtful about what value could be gone over in a book so small, and I am so glad that I was wrong. It wasn’t a book that I enjoyed, per say, but how it was able to pack so much punch is why I gave it 5 stars. 

I was drawn in by the journal/letter style of storytelling. The voice of the MC, Charlie, was immature and naive for a high school freshman. It’s the first clue that something isn’t quite right. As the story progresses you hear about him making friends, going to high school parties, trying alcohol and drugs and crushing on a senior and first girlfriends. 

I would say that this is a book for ages 15+ , because of content maturity.
 

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tetetaeskz's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-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

4.0


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alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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

5.0

I absolutely love this book. It’s charming and informative to anyone who have never experienced mental illnesses. Would recommend as a coming of age book.

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cait's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-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

4.0


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hannah_petty5's review against another edition

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

5.0


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wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I don't have much to say about this book.

What exactly are the perks?

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kkulhannie's review against another edition

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

3.25


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her's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-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

4.0


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egurgens's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.0

I had trouble enjoying the format the book was written in. I get the idea, of Charlie sending letters to this unknown author as his way of coping. However, I am definitely not a fan of the first person point of view. Although the books syntax gets better as Charlie gets better at writing, it’s a little off putting to have to read a book where improper sentence structure is common. I loved the fact that the reader could see how Charlie was progressing and getting better at his English class just by the way he writes, but it was still a little annoying. I wish that the letters were only part of the story, instead of the story being told entirely through letters. 
The book is also incredibly slow. I understand that the reader is experiencing and learning just as Charlie is, but the amount of mundane detail that has no impact on the plot is excessive. I enjoyed getting to know and love the characters as Charlie did, but I think it could have been a little bit faster. 
I’m terms of the plot or meaning of the story, this book is tragic. Death, grief, depression, molesting, rape, just so much shit happens to this poor kid. As tragic as the book is, I feel that’s it’s fairly representative of what an actual kid his age may go through. Yeah, sure, not everyone goes through as much as Charlie did, but almost everyone does to some level. So I enjoyed the book for its realism and lessons, but disliked the format and pace. 

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