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booksjessreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Shuggie Bain is a story written primarily about Agnes Bain and her alcoholism. Her other children eventually leave her, but it is Shuggie who sticks around the longest in an attempt to help his mother recover. Shuggie is such a lovable character, and his innocence, coupled with his unwavering dedication and love for his mother, that encouraged my attachment to him. I wanted to protect him at all costs. He was subjected to a lot of horrible wrongdoings and the fact that, as a reader, I had to sit there and watch these events transpire, made it all the more heart-wrenching to read.
One thing that I absolutely adored in this novel was the way Stuart Douglas portrays poverty, addiction and domestic abuse, amongst other themes, in such a raw way. Some of the lines in this book were carefully constructed to capture the wretched reality of 1980s Glasgow. I don't have the capability in this review to do any of his prose justice, but his writing was something I could really appreciate and I felt portrayed the world Shuggie and his family lived in so well, his poignancy matching the darkness of their lives, as well as the general aura of the novel.
Perhaps my only opportunity for this novel would be to read it again. I am highly anticipating reading the audiobook alongside this too as I feel like this will heighten my experience with it. One of the things I struggled with to begin with was getting used to the Glaswegian dialect, so the audiobook would certainly bring this to life.
Overall, I appreciated this book so much. It is so worth the read.
Graphic: Addiction, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Self harm, and Violence
minusy's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Grief
synfje's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism and Homophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Death
lucykateburns's review against another edition
- 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
On the contrast, it was hard not to love Shuggie. I don't know how to sum him up. What child doesn't love their mother? It's hard to grow up and accept that they aren't the heroes you once thought them to be. Parents can be very flawed people and, as in Shuggie's case, so flawed that there is nothing you can do to help them. The whole book felt like a journey into Shuggie's letting go of his mum, he couldn't keep her here for him. I think ultimately letting her go was the best he could have done.
In this sense, the theme of recurring self-harm and inability to recover reminded me of A Little Life, and both share similar endings in this regard. The tragic comparison between Leanne's mother and Shuggie's is something to comment on, but I won't go too much into it. Essentially, it just shows the possible paths alcoholism can lead a woman down, neither of which are positive. For this reason, I think the book has a very depressing overall tone to it, there isn't a fairytale ending but sometimes that is the reality of things. Clearly this was never entirely Agnes' fault, but in the world we live in she didn't have much choice. Eugene must feel eternal guilt.
It is difficult to finish the book and not know where Shuggie ends up, or what exactly the outcome of the journey with his sexuality will be, but I am comforted with his friendship with Leanne. I hope they both find love and happiness.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Pedophilia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, and Gaslighting
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
helenab18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
stripedcreature's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Alcohol
novellenovels's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Vomit, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Abandonment
aditithedot's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Self harm
brookie_renae's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
kycerae's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use