Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks

21 reviews

addyson_raelynn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

4.5

I don’t really have a lot of words to describe my thoughts on this book yet. But I did thoroughly enjoy my time reading it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Rape

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Grief

Minor: Abortion

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

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

robinks's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.5

This story seems a bit outdated, and it is very clear that the protagonist is white with the way she is able to keep finding ways to survive and get home. Some of it seems to glorify drug use as well. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, and Body horror

Moderate: Grief and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Homophobia

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. 

---

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

strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-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

I think someone murdered her I really do. She was doing so great and her life was going so well and all of a sudden she overdoses? Seems a little fishy to me, but I’m sure because she had a record the police wouldn’t even look into it. 

I would’ve fought to look into it because it’s just so suspicious. She had a great sorta boyfriend, new friends that would help her be strong, and an understanding family. Even with all the heartache, I don’t think she would’ve killed herself or turned back to drugs.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Homophobia

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.

---

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

---

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

quirksandcontradictions's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

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

1.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Body horror

This was just... Not good. I finished it just because it reads quickly and I wanted to fulfill a reading challenge. There are what feels like more authentic stories similar to this ("Crank" by Ellen Hopkins, for example).

zombiezami's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

3.0

I like this book as a snapshot of life in the 1970s. A lot of the text brought me back to the pain of being a teenager. However, a lot of the plot isn't very plausible. There's also a lot of homophobia thrown in for no reason. I waited until after I finished the book to look up anything about its publication, and found out the real author's identity. That was very illuminating. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Pregnancy, Trafficking, War, and Miscarriage