Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

63 reviews

moond4ncer's review

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Abortion, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Pandemic/Epidemic, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Mental illness

seastheday's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

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

3.5

This book was much better than Dutch House. I thought the story was intriguing enough to follow and want to keep listening to. It’s definitely had its dark moments, but that’s just part of life- nothing the author did was weird or out of the blue for the story. It was a rhythmic read, and I enjoyed hearing the POV’s reflection on her life and choices as well as her daughter’s input/thoughts. It was enjoyable but nothing super special, which is why it’s a 3.5 to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Minor: Blood, Abortion, and Forced institutionalization

pam_'s review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

Extremely boring. I didn’t care about any of the characters or the plot. I probably should have DNFed because this was not for me. Meryl Streep narrating the audiobook was this book’s saving grace in my opinion. Without her, there is no way that I would have been able to finish this.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Misogyny

thecandiegirl's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Child death, Vomit, Death, Medical content, Pregnancy, Abortion, and Sexual content

marioosa517's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity

Moderate: Animal death, Forced institutionalization, Pandemic/Epidemic, Toxic friendship, and Blood

Minor: Abortion, Suicide, Sexism, Racism, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Self harm, Death, Death of parent, Cancer, Excrement, Violence, War, and Sexual content

ressicajicks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

Beautifully written and beautifully read by Meryl Streep. The pacing might have been too slow for me had I not listened to the audiobook, but I am so glad I did. Springtime in the year that I am the same age as Emily, the year that I will marry my Joe Nelson, was the perfect time in my life to have experienced this novel on walks around my neighborhood with my neighbors’ flower beds in bloom. I am so so lucky. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic, Cancer, and Vomit

Moderate: Child death, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Addiction, Drug abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Drug use, Racism, Pregnancy, and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Abortion

deltadam's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, and Drug use

rmcassel's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic and Sexual content

Minor: Abortion

This book makes me want to move to a cherry farm in Michigan.

thalia16's review

emotional slow-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

2.0

I'm a ride or die Ann Patchett fan, but this book just didn't have the magic for me. Judging books by their cover is often misleading in a pleasantly surprising way, however this one unfortunately aligned very closely with its cover: outdated (despite taking place during an incredibly contemporary world event) and not very exciting.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, and Pandemic/Epidemic

rosa_lina96's review

emotional reflective medium-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

3.75

There is no explaining this simple truth about life: you will forget much of it. The painful things you were certain you'd never be able to let go? Now you're not entirely sure when they happened, while the thrilling parts, the heart-stopping joys, splintered and scattered and became something else. Memories are then replaced by different joys and larger sorrows, and unbelievably, those things get knocked aside as well, until one morning you're picking cherries with your three grown daughters and your husband goes by on the Gator and you are positive that this is all you've ever wanted in the world.

Wow. What a book. What a beautiful, emotional book about young love, family bonds, and how sometimes what you think are failures in life are actually leading you to exactly where you're meant to be. If the thread of the story hadn't been somewhat lost in a few places, the star rating would be even higher for me. As it was, it was a lovely and worthwhile read, and the quote above is going to stick in my mind for a long while. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic