Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis

26 reviews

charliesmith1564's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative inspiring tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Infertility, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Child abuse, Car accident, Sexism, Racism, Grief, Death, Alcohol, Addiction, Rape, Suicide attempt, Classism, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Death of parent, Confinement, Bullying, Abandonment, Misogyny, Medical trauma, and Medical content

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

meeileen's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Drug use, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Cursing

Minor: Abandonment, Bullying, and Car accident

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

rachaelbunny's review

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Cursing, Sexual content, Sexism, and Death

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Bullying, Vomit, and Abandonment

madelinekramer2021's review

dark medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Death of parent, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Sexual content, Racism, and Sexism

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

theelderbooks's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 YES, I saw the show before reading the book. YES this is also why I got myself the Netflix version of the book (it's also much prettier than the other version). Let's start by saying I have no clue how one's supposed to play chess. This has never been my thing, and probably never will be. Still, I really enjoyed following Beth through her story, as it's also very centered around her as a person. However, if you know chess, I'm pretty sure the book is much more impressive, as the author describes thoroughfully the moves in the games she plays, etc. I'm sure you get to see more how amazing she is, if you understand the chess moves she does. I'm a noob on this, so I couldn't get the extent of it, but it was good enough!

The way we get to see grow and evolve as a woman and in her art was so fascinating. It has kind of voyeur side ahah but she is such a good character. It was just nice to read about someone who is not perfect, and is a bit morally grey if you ask me. She has her own vision of the world, and some things she does are not so great, either for her or others, just like her mother, which was refreshing to see when most of the books I read involve being heroic, and at most being a little vulnerable and that's it. It doesn't prevent me from seeing her as a strong woman! She overcame so many obstacles and did so much on her own, fought to have place in the chess competition field, etc.

Surprisingly, I also enjoyed reading about Jolene, Beth's adoption center "friend". She is terrible and very mature for her age in the beginning, and is somewhat of a brat. I didn't expect to see her again later in the story, but I was happy to. I was curious to see how she had evolved, and it's nice that Beth and her were able to figure out how to be in touch again, how to interact after all this time and the way both their lives turned out.

The series was actually very much like the book, and I'm glad the screenwriter stuck to the book for the adaptation. It's a good book, it doesn't get old, and can be enoyed even if you don't know the first thing about chess! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Sexual content

quejk25's review against another edition

dark inspiring tense medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Grief, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexual content, Abandonment, Car accident, and Death of parent