Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

11 reviews

marcusbryan777's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• 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: Violence, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Pedophilia

Minor: Biphobia and Homophobia

razzyreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Addiction, Cursing, Sexual violence, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Bullying, Blood, Trafficking, Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Eating disorder, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Alcoholism, and Car accident

chezler24's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

2.0

I am currently giving this book 2/5 stars although I probably would have rated it higher when I read it for the first time in middle school.  I get why this book was written; however, the execution feels a bit dated and cheesy. This book was written in 1971 - or should I say "diary was found" since we're supposed to be reading this under the assumption that this is a real diary from a real teenager - but the dialogue and pacing just feel off at points even for the target audience being older kids/young adults. The book definitely goes for shock factor with all the terrible things the main character does while on drugs and while maintaining her high, yet it almost borders on unrealistic at points. I think the most egregious thing for me was the epilogue ending that completely undoes any progress that had been made without any hope for rehabilitation or even explanation. Also, the handling of sexual orientation was not great at all. It kept popping up that drugs were the sole reason for anyone to question their sexual orientation and gender identity which is just a wild claim that gets glossed over. (Maybe this was to just hint at how naive the main character was, but since the whole book is pretty much propaganda I kind of doubt that there wasn't an ulterior motive.) I did learn that there is a TV movie adaptation of this book so it will be interesting to see how that holds up in regards to the diary format we've been given. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

booitskiwii's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Violence, and Drug use

Moderate: Death and Rape

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

chemical_crash's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

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.

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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

angelkat556's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad medium-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence

caties_books's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

2.0

It took me soooo long to get through this book because I just kept cringing. Every single heavy-handed remark made me close the book. How on earth did people think this was anything other than a Christian trying to convince people that sex, drugs, and gay people are the worst things to ever happen to humanity? The only reason I gave it an extra star is that occasionally, when viewed strictly as fiction, it kept my attention in short bursts. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Trafficking, Violence, and Sexual content

jademolenaar's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I think this book has been great to read, especially since the 'book' was written by a 15-year-old. It gave me an insight in her life, the good and the bad. It is, however, highly unlikely I will reread this book. This girl is not a writer, so if you want to read a beautiful written, dark story I would advice to skip this one.

TW: problems with food, drugs (ofcourse), rape, death.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Grief

unidentifiedflyingoddball's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Addiction

Moderate: Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, and Violence