Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis

236 reviews

vicblue's review

challenging dark informative inspiring tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Sexual assault

sissa's review

adventurous inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Drug abuse

lolaschmola's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Drug use

Minor: Racial slurs and Bullying

liviamello's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Grief, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, and Racism

classicsandcocoa's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This book was wonderful. Any chess lover would be doing themselves a favour by picking this up. The suspense was incredible, and the visualization was on point. The character building was excellent, and while there were a few plot holes/cliffhangers, it was overall a read 100% worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, Cursing, Alcohol, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Drug use, and Addiction

Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, Car accident, and Vomit

lethalflag's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Body shaming

capp518's review

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

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

3.75

I read this book because I loved the mini-series. There are some scenes in this book that I feel are completely unnecessary for plot development and character development that thankfully the show omitted. I was hesitant to give it 4 stars because of these scenes, but I still enjoyed the story overall.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

theelliad's review against another edition

4.5

I have quite honestly never cared about chess so much…

The Queens Gambit is the story of Beth Harmon a young chess prodigy as she battles being orphaned, adopted, addiction, sexuality and overall being viewed as less within her world due to her gender!

This story was beautifully narrated and I found Beth to be very relatable in her struggles and very human within her circumstance! The depictions of addiction are handled well, especially the institutional abusive use of it. The scenes of chess were long and confusing at times but all the more beautiful for it - Beth’s inner voice came through and I felt I understood it even when I didn’t! Safe to say i’m off to watch the netflix show and learn to play chess now….

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, Drug abuse, Misogyny, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Abandonment, Sexism, Grief, Car accident, Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Violence

generalmalfoy's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

I read this in German. 
This book was incredible, the chess matches were captivating, even though I barely know the basic chess rules. Seeing Beth conquer her problems, facing new challenges, seeing her emotions take a hold of her before her mind kicks in and it's just thinking, cold-blooded strategy, that was everything to me. 
Watching her grow up, both as a person and as a chess-player was so good too. This book was masterfully written, and I will for sure re-read this.
All in all, I just loved this so much. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Vomit

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