Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

137 reviews

georgie_mb's review against another edition

emotional sad 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? Yes

5.0

Heartbreaking. I physically ached at certain points for these characters. 

I was absolutely hooked from start to finish, and I’m kind of sad to be done with it. It feels like I’m mourning someone, and I just want to keep hearing about Shuggie. 

Highly recommend the audiobook version too!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual violence, and Rape

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Suicide attempt

doramag's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, and Death of parent

amy1608's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Bullying, and Homophobia

Minor: Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Blood, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual violence, Excrement, Cancer, Grief, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship

mariadomarbelchior's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Very touching description of what it is to live with someone with an addiction. This book focuses on the relationship of a mother and son as the mother struggles with alcoholism while the son tries everything to help her, always hopeful she will heal. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Alcoholism

Moderate: Homophobia and Violence

annagerman's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Outing

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

katlouisee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Self harm, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Homophobia

Minor: Excrement

encharro's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Rape, Toxic friendship, and Alcoholism

npolanchik's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

At its core, this is a story about a son’s unwavering love for his mother despite trauma inflicted from relapses with alcohol. It’s a very sad book and Stuart’s writing is poetic. 

I wanted to read this book because of its attributes to LGBTQ+ youth. This theme ebbs throughout the book but doesn’t feel like it’s explicitly touched on - and maybe that’s the beauty of it. 

At times this book feels slow, but the writing is so encapsulating, you want to continue. I see why this has such acclaim but slow plot and tons of Scottish slang that confused me didn’t make it a 5-star read for me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit and Alcoholism

Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual violence

pawtory's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• 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

4.0

Honestly the most depressing thing I've ever read (maybe I Gevalia avoid that but good god). Realistic to the point of hopelessness. I know terrible people and situations exist but there was no relief here for Shuggie. I think he had a handful of people shown his life who weren't completely  awful? It was well written, but if I could tell past me to skip this one I would. The content warnings are quite serious. I would only rec this book if you  need to read about stuff that's so awful anything in your life will seem better in comparison...

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Rape, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Terminal illness and Religious bigotry

readingslumpx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Drug use, Bullying, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, and Sexual harassment