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bookhoarder_alissa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Moderate: Child abuse
stayathomereader'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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
writtenontheflyleaves's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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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🏢 The plot: Shuggie Bain is born in Glasgow to beautiful alcoholic Agnes and philandering taxi driver Big Shug Bain. When Big Shug abandons his family in a mining town decimated by Thatcherism, Agnes’s addiction takes hold, and Shuggie grapples not only with his enduring love and concern for his mother, but with the growing awareness in him and everyone around him that he is not a “normal boy”.
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This is the kind of book that you read and find yourself wondering over and over again if it’s autobiographical, because the characters are so rich and real. It’s not “about” Shuggie Bain in the way that Oliver Twist is “about” Oliver Twist - his adventures and the things that he does - but it is about him in the sense that it’s about the places and the people he comes from, the love and pain informing the decisions that shape his life. Family is at the heart of this novel: the ways in which we inherit things from the people who raise us, but also our separateness as individuals in a fractious society, our inability to be responsible for anyone’s survival but our own. I still don’t know if it’s ultimately optimistic or pessimistic in outlook, but it is moving, and it’s a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time!
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If I had one complaint, it would be that the novel spends so long contextualising Shuggie that you see relatively little of him as a person, particularly as a teenager. It feels a little anticlimactic - but maybe that’s just me longing for a happy ending for this character!
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🏘 Read it if you like character-driven novels that explore hard-hitting social history, written in accessible prose. Also to pick up random bits of Glaswegian slang!
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🚫 BIG avoid if you are sensitive to scenes of rape, assault, alcoholism, and child sexual assault. I would urge anyone doubtful to carefully check TWs before reading as it can get quite graphic. This is also not a very plot-driven book so avoid if that’s not your thing.
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Death, Self harm, Misogyny, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
nataliemason's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse
zoreads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Pedophilia
kbc's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism
Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
emilistevenson's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Cancer, Cursing, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Religious bigotry
nora__reads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
It is also a portrait of Glasgow in the 80s, at the height of the Thatcher-era when unemployment was everywhere and addiction swiftly followed it.
Stuart treats the character of Agnes with such care and love, he is both highly critical of her struggle and resigned to cope with it, as well as being tender and gentle with his portrayal. He shows the complexities of loving someone who is intent on destroying themselves.
This relationship is what drove the story, but in the background of Agnes’s addiction Shuggie was also struggling to understand his sexuality in a deeply homophobic, misogynistic time.
This book is completely deserving of its Booker prize nomination.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit