Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

93 reviews

natalia64's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.0

Creo que tenía expectativas bastante altas con este libro y con la autora. Lo leí en inglés y creo que fue simple de leer: aprendí algunas palabras que se repetían mucho idle y shrug. Me gusta la experiencia de leer en otro idioma, pero creo que no tenía mucho jugo el texto y no era que se estaba perdiendo por la traducción. Me gustaron mucho las reflexiones de la autora sobre el amor, el género, la clase y la sexualidad, aunque no sé si siempre estaban bien desarrolladas (algunas veces se sentían un poco forzadas). La lectura fue disfrutable por momentos, pero gran parte del tiempo era frustrante y angustiante. Agradecí muchísimo la última parte donde empiezan a tener una comunicación clara AL FIN. El final me resultó amargo: siento que siguen construyendo la relación desde la tristeza y que bien podrían ser más claros-  otra vez podrían caer en una situación de mala comunicación GRATIS porque ya supuestamente atravesaron eso. Lo que me molesta es que bien podrían 

sugerir hacer long-distance o la promesa de hablar todos los días por Skype, que era algo que frecuentaban. No es que los planes de Marianne tienen que cambiar en un acto sumiso del que creció, sino resolver activamente desde el deseo: quiero estar con vos, vos querés estar conmigo, está esta gran oportunidad laboral e implicaría distanciarnos fisicamente, ¿qué hacemos? DALE

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Alcoholism

bri_fabiano's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-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: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

samjesperw's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol

anton13's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I was so sad to have to put it down. I have to say that I was in the beginning very skeptical about if I’d like it or not. Part of me didn’t even wanna read it. Now I’m glad I read it. It’s not my favorite cause of the heaviness of the story but it is well written and I enjoyed the relationship between the two mc’s. I do think that anyone that wants to read this should do an extensive look on trigger warnings cause this was so much more than I had expected from what I’ve heard from others. The end killed me. I can’t believe everything that happened within the last 50 pages. I’m happy for them both but also nooooo why did it have to end like that?! Connell is one of the best men out there and nothing can change my mind!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

klor's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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've always loved the intimacy of people that just weave in and out of each others lives, sprinkled with some of their own issues and histories. rven though not a lot happens in the book, it's not hard to believe that their story is going to keep moving forward. i thought this was an honest depiction of growing pains and mental illness and miscommunications

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness

bookishlittleme's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

This was one of those books where I read it at just the right time. I picked it up at the library on a whim and everything! I really like the way that it made me think about the world, how we socialize, how we love. I found the two main characters, Marianne and Connell extremely true to life with distinct thoughts and voices. 
I have heard a lot of comments about Sally Rooney's writing being hard to read because she does not use quotations to help the reader recognize dialogue. Personally, I fell in love with her writing style as soon as I picked up the book. As for the dialogue it's definitely more feeling than reading a quotation mark that lets you know when someone is speaking. This is a very sad book but I think if you're drawn to it you should read it. Check the content warnings though!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol

Minor: Abortion

bridietmc24's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Rape

Minor: Eating disorder and Abortion

selimhannah's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

anewton's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

3.75

This was a beautifully sad book, that dives into the complex nature of relationships over time, alongside character development and trauma. It explores ‘love’, what that means and what it looks like in different forms and relationships. The ending, though fitting for the story, was disappointing, leaving things open-ended and unsatisfactory. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Violence, Vomit, and Alcohol

kathis_wonderland's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Normal People by Sally Rooney is an award-winning book. Connell and Marianne have known each other for ages. They went to school together and started seeing each other in secret. Over the years they fall in and out of their relationship and friendship, meet new people and experience new aspects of life. But in the end, they find their way back to each other.

One thing I am now certain of is that I am usually very unsure about books that won awards. I often do get why this book won awards and is so loved by many, but most of the time I do not really enjoy those books. This is why I also have mixed feelings about Normal People. It was a good book, but the story did not suck me in. However, at the same time, I couldn't stop reading most of the time. You see, I have very mixed feelings about this book.

For one, I liked the relationship and friendship between Connell and Marianne. No matter their downs and disagreements, they always found their way into each other's lives again. I was rooting for them! This is why I am not super fond of the rather open ending of this book. I want them both to be happy. Connell's mother is such a wholesome person. I adore her. She is a wonderful human being. One thing that bothers me is the big time jumps from one chapter to the next. I felt like I missed several aspects of the story that would have made it deeper. But then the book itself was already very deep and sometimes heavy to read. Some chapters exhausted me. And let's not forget the absence of quotation marks! This annoyed me the most as it makes understanding the text much more difficult. A big no from me for the absence of quotation marks.

All in all, I liked the book. I see why others love it so much, but I still have mixed feelings about it. Sally Rooney is a good writer, but probably just not my cup of tea. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Abortion, and Death of parent