Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

35 reviews

zazreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Transphobia

egrime's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Car accident, Cursing, Rape, Gore, Eating disorder, Violence, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

snowforest's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Self harm

Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Outing, Misogyny, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Grief, Dysphoria, Addiction, Biphobia, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Transphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Drug use, Drug abuse, Child abuse, and Car accident

lilyaugust's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse

whatannikareads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

this is one of the best books I’ve ever read ever. I basically read this book in one sitting. Once you wrap your head around the initial writing style and concepts, holy shit you’re hooked. I have never read anything like this and I don’t think I ever will again. It’s such a unique, poetic, dark, intriguing way to handle trauma, grief, loss, love, heartbreak, incorporating the mythology of Nigerian spirituality. The pacing hooked me and i like how things weren’t explained super explicitly; the bad things that happen are revealed as we go on, and it made me stop and reflect on why Ada acted/reacted the way she/they did.

Stunning. Reminds me of The Vanishing Half, as in how can a debut book be THIS fucking good. Like holy shit dude I don’t know if I know what I read but every sentence felt like I could frame it.

MAJOR trigger warnings for rape, suicidal thoughts, mental illness, abuse 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Car accident, Mental illness, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship

aww_ada's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Car accident, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

miles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Transphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Death, Dysphoria, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, and Drug abuse

penofpossibilities's review against another edition

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Outing, Physical abuse, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Confinement and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Transphobia and Religious bigotry

booksarebrainfood's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Very close to a perfect book for me! The narration is unlike anything I’ve ever read - and brought a whole new dimension to the autofiction genre.
I love how they intertwined religion, the ego, trauma and gender to show all the different facets of the self and how they can grow and evolve and be at war with each other. I loved the presentation of people who don’t quite belong to our world who are always called on somewhere, and incorporating that into autofiction was so interesting and unique. Loved it!
The only reason I have 4 stars is that it became quite repetitive towards the end and lost the momentum it was building so well before, but nevertheless it’s unsettling and genius in its own way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Confinement, Car accident, and Body horror

laurareads87's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

<i>Freshwater</i> is a novel that I didn't read when it first came out mostly due to the content warnings, and they are warranted - this is a difficult read.  However, I'm so glad that I did read it -- it is incredibly well written, deeply affecting, innovative, and captivating -- magical realism at its absolute best.  Beyond being an incredible story, <i>Freshwater</i> is a reflection on identity, selfhood, and spirit that is unlike anything I've ever read before.  Incredible debut -- I very much look forward to reading Emezi's work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Blood, Rape, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Eating disorder

Moderate: Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia