Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

49 reviews

swearwords's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

Oh my god this book is probably one of my new favorites. Usually I'm the kind of person who reads a quick meet cute rom-com but this book intrigued me when I saw it on the banned books table at Barnes and Noble, and sucked me in deeper when I saw it was in a diary format. There's something so much more intimate about it being a diary that also left an air of mystery since there were things being left out and background information we weren't told about. Despite the ending of this book, I love the message it has and the power of the story. It was a realistic ending and the main character's multiple relapses with drug abuse just shows that this isn't a quick detour on her road to happiness, it consumed her life. From the lack of updates in the journal to the shorter entries, this book did such a heartbreaking but breathtaking job of depicting drug addition in teens.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Addiction, Sexual assault, Death, and Eating disorder

whiterabbitslibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious fast-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

As a book this wasn't great, but when you take into account the history and mythos surrounding it it's quite intriguing. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Mental illness, Self harm, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, and Sexual content

Moderate: Homophobia

mellyaimz's review against another edition

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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Despite the drug consumption and abuse - which has been largely contested in this "true account" - this is a heartbreaking and poignant narrative surrounding mental health of teenagers and specifically teenage girls. This resonates deeply as a coming-of-age story.

I wish Alice was able to live.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Sexual assault, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, and Violence

Minor: Trafficking and War

magickshop's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

1.0

I re-read this book to follow along with the You’re Wrong About book club and in anticipation of Unmask Alice. 

Honestly the only rational reason to read this book is out of nostalgia or academic interest. It is not a real diary, it does not have any information or insights into the subject matter, and it’s incredibly stigmatizing to actual drug users. It is, however, decently written and relatively short, so it’ll be a quick read if you’ve got some reason for doing so. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual assault, Rape, and Gore

sweetchocolatez's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

quills4days's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Eating disorder, Biphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Trafficking

Minor: Alcoholism, War, Alcohol, Racial slurs, Abortion, and Suicidal thoughts

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

1.5

The text is not an authentic text. It is written by someone who has no idea what real addiction looks like. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Addiction, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Outing, Sexism, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

If you have ever struggled with addiction, pick another book to read. Pick one that captures addiction in a compassionate way.

anniija's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad fast-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: Eating disorder, Drug use, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault

aprillikestoread's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I have to give this book such respect. It’s somebodies diary, it’s somebodies life. I feel I have no choice to go read it with respect, sympathy, and give it 5 stars.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Rape

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Eating disorder

Minor: Fatphobia and Homophobia

elisweets's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

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

1.0

This was one of my favorite books when I was in middle school. I used to read this book over and over again, but I haven’t read it in ages. 
Boy was I surprised to find out how much I disliked the book now.
1) I have one of the older copies that state that this is an actual diary of an actual 15 year old girl who got involved with drugs. As I was reading the book I started to realize how completely unrealistic the events of the “diary” seemed. I did some googling and found out that this who story was invented by Some life named Beatrice Sparks who was an American therapist and Mormon youth counselor as a cautionary tale for drug use. (Though people began to question her credentials and there is no proof of the PHD that she claims to have.) So this story was literally invented by religious fanatic who wanted to tell kids drugs were bad. That explains the bizarre amount of homophobia in this book as well.
2) I wish Beatrice worked harder to make this more realistic because omg. You’re telling me two 15-17 year olds ran away and started an entire business by themselves in the matter of weeks??? She couldn’t even properly explain what it felt like to be high on said drugs she was using. Smoking weed doesn’t make you trip out the way this book describes it. 
3) A lot of homophobic undertones and gay shaming. The main character experiences attraction to characters of the same sex but then in the same sentence talks about how sinful and gross that is.

I was severely disappointed while reading this. :( I can’t believe THIS used to be one of my comfort books

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Rape, Child death, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Addiction, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Sexual violence