Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

16 reviews

melissacushman's profile picture

melissacushman's review

4.5
challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

This book made me sob, all the trigger warnings but it was amazing 

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This book wasn't for me. It's still a good story, just not for me. It has lots of sad and tense themes. Besides that, it really wasn't super interesting to me. I didn't really want to keep reading as it bored me. It was kind of confusing to me. Also the characters weren't that likeable for me. It's still a great story, I just don't like how it was written. 

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Such a beautiful book, it had me thinking about so much and processing my own trauma.

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bg_oseman_fan's profile picture

bg_oseman_fan's review

5.0
challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

this book was a really comprehensive look at addiction and recovery. Zach’s internal dialogue was really engaging and moving. I also liked that all of the characters he meets are so full and well developed. A hope filled book about overcoming obstacles that seem insurmountable. 

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

A little close to home for a student but so moving and beautiful and…raw. 

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dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

Please check the trigger warning before reading

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-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

Honestly. It's a good book, but I was personally a little disappointed in it. I think it could have been a lot better. The writing itself is great. I loved the prose. 

But there were also lots of moments of me practically just skimming through a few pages. Yes, it needs to have lost of parts of just the main characters emotions as he grows and he learns and so on and so forth. I get that. I understand that. But at times it felt like it was dragging on just a little longer than it needed to. I would even go so far as to say the book would have improved if it was shorter. 

I think my other main gripe is that it reads like a YA novel. And yes, once again, I get it. It is about an 18 year old. It is someone who is still technically in high school. He hasn't graduated yet. But even when thinking of 18 year olds, and thinking of what's going on, I think the author should have made some parts drag on less, and maybe instead fill in those points with some more adult writing. Cause as it is, the story feels like it's written for that age, but the book reads like it was written for someone a little younger. If it was written like it was for a slightly older audience, I think it might have been a bit easier to connect with some of the characters, and since that's the entire book, that also would have been a greater improvement. 

But for that point I am 33, so I might be a bit biased on that.

Over all still a good book. Still enjoyed it. Would still recommend it, especially since a lot of other people are giving it a perfect score. But would I say rush put to grab it? Personally no.

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challenging dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

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dark emotional sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings