Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis

19 reviews

tetrootz's review against another edition

challenging inspiring reflective sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Dysphoria, Death, Grief, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Rape, and Misogyny

Moderate: Racial slurs, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Vomit, Cursing, and Blood

jonwood's review against another edition

emotional funny fast-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

3.0

The book reads really fast with scenes that are very compressed, not much on dialogue. Tevis does deal with emotional ramifications of addition and trauma on Beth, but some of the choices he made I found problematic (particular the inclusion of an nonconsensual sexual experience of a minor). The more I think of it, the more I realize their is good craft in dealing with the mindset of addition, self-destructive tendencies, and need to win, perhaps I confuse the brevity of the book with simplicity. Regardless, I didn't find the book particularly rewarding, and honestly  the chess games while well done and nontechnical to read (they could have been much dryer), seem to last a bit too long, but then again I don't like reading action scenes, so this may just be me. 

For what it's worth, a member of my book club showed us that you could play through most of the major games if you wish. I wouldn't recommend the book, but I wouldn't discourage reading it either. Though, I think the Bobby Fischer biography "Endgame" by Frank Brady a much better Chess read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Sexual content, Drug use, Medical content, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

Minor: Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

abe26's review

emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Alcohol, and Mental illness

Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship

genevieve_eggleston's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was something that I picked up because I found it free on Audible and have heard wonderful things about the TV adaption. Unfortunately, it wasn't a book that I particularly enjoyed. People who have an interest in chess might find it more entertaining than I did, but as someone who doesn't have much of an interest in the game, I just got lost, and at times annoyed, with all of the move-by-move descriptions. I also found Beth frustrating as a character, especially when she kept falling back on the same self-destructive tendencies. Even though the book covers a period of nearly 10 years, the presentation of the story somehow manages to make it seem painfully slow. Overall, this book was okay, but nothing more than that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Grief, and Vomit

Moderate: Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Bullying, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism

silvertoni's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Death of parent

fructosebaby's review against another edition

hopeful medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Car accident, Abandonment, and Death of parent

sarafultz's review

dark informative relaxing fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Mental illness, Death, and Sexual assault

anapthine's review

challenging dark inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction

Moderate: Racial slurs, Mental illness, and Racism

Minor: Sexual content

izzy_mckeough's review

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

4.5

Really good book, not surprised that they turned it into a tv series. Extremely compelling for something that could be considered boring content matter (cough cough chess)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Alcohol

Moderate: Vomit, Sexual harassment, Medical content, Death, Child abuse, Blood, Abandonment, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Chronic illness

marianneiriss's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Fatphobia, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Sexual content, and Abandonment