Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

227 reviews

astridaw's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Intriguing, tense plotline with superinteresting character and friendship dynamics. I wasn't super shocked by the ending but still liked it a lot, but found that there were still some unanswered plot holes that could have been developed more (and made the story even more interesting).

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Death, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Murder, and Drug abuse

Minor: Suicide and Sexism

eri_off_the_shelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Murder, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Blood, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, and Sexual content

saracha22's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-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

3.75

Longer than it need to be, and I found the Shakespearean pidgin dialogue pretentious and hard to read. But I did like the ending, it felt fitting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Alcohol

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Death, Alcohol, Addiction, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Blood, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, and Grief

luckyyz's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, and Death

Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, Alcohol, Addiction, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Homophobia and Eating disorder

addythebookbat's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Minor: Sexual content, Suicide attempt, and Grief

aenor's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicide, Misogyny, Vomit, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, and Violence

ashleyslibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I’ve never greatly enjoyed reading Shakespeare, and I was worried that it would affect my overall perception of If We Were Villains. 

While I am grappling with mixed emotions on my overall opinion of the book, I know this book will stick around with me for quite a while. 

M.L Rio does a beautiful job of displaying the complex and raw emotions and relationships that can form in tight-knit friend circles in early adulthood. 

I both love and hate the ending at the same time - a form of artistry I’ve grown to appreciate more the older I’ve gotten. A solid 4 stars!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, and Death

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicide attempt, and Violence

phoebees's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This book changed me in the best way. A beautiful (haunting) exploration of obsession and addiction to art. the characters are intentionally relatable, but exaggerated in the way that only Shakespeare can. 
A love letter to Shakespeare obsessors, tormented queers, and emotionally unwell theatre kids. 
for fans of the marauders, any Shakespeare play, dead poets society, and dark academia <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Mental illness, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Gore

Minor: Death, Eating disorder, and Homophobia

gussurireads's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

1.0

Pretensioso, com uma prosa terrível cheia de más comparações (uma bengala da autora que não consegui ignorar) e uma personagem principal cujo ponto de vista é por vezes irritante, por outras misógino - portanto, irritantemente misógino?

Passo a citar uma das frases que mais me chocou,  p. 139 Ato II, "Felizmente, não estava excessivamente maquilhada e continuava a parecer humana." Isto é a observação da personagem principal (um homem) sobre uma das suas melhores amigas, com quem ele se envolve romanticamente, e que apenas a vê como um objeto de desejo, enquanto o seu amor verdadeiro é outro homem. Será pedir muito que autoras mulheres não odeiem outras mulheres nos seus livros?

Relativamente ao enredo e o motivo pelo qual segui a recomendação de leitura (proveniente de uma das minhas booktubers favoritas, nem acredito na desilusão): o mistério do assassinato torna-se relativamente óbvio no início do Ato III. O livro é composto por 5 atos e estava a custar-me continuar a leitura desde o primeiro ato. Tornou-se mais interessante conforme a tensão foi aumentando, mas creio que grande parte do combustível que alimentou está leitura foi a minha própria teimosia em ver a minha teoria sobre o assassino confirmada (e foi confirmada!).

O plot twist no epílogo que todos falaram foi... Ok. Não sou muito fã deste tipo de epílogos e creio que não beneficiou em nada a narrativa, sendo que o mais interessante de "Como Se Fôssemos Vilões" é mesmo toda a tensão e drama criado em torno do ambiente obsessivo em que estes jovens vivem. Fora isso, resta apenas uma prosa pobre e personagens estereotipados, com pouca profundidade. 

Recomendo a leitura se estiverem presos numa cabine sem internet e este for o único livro entre uma coleção de livros da Coleen Hoover.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Drug use, Alcoholism, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexism

Minor: Suicide

yzer2468's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Bullying, Cursing, Gaslighting, Blood, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Gore, Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Sexism, Violence, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Eating disorder

Minor: Vomit, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault