Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Piglet: A Novel

Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Piglet: A Novel by Lottie Hazell

7 reviews

sandysmith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.5

In spite of the name of the book, a childhood nickname for the main female chracter, which isnt really necesary, her real name is only being revealed at the end of the book and shes refered to as Piglet or pig throughout. I really enjoyed the descriptions of food. It's well written but doesn't really go anywhere. Piglet got her name through the protection of her sisters eating disorder, as she couldn't face a situation concerning a birthday cake, so Piglet took the blame for the cakes disappearance. The whole family needed therapy and Piglet is no exception with her relationship with food. I didn't like Piglet's husband Kit's mistake prior to their wedding was never fully divulged to the reader, although certain assumptions are made. Piglet copes with this via finding comfort in food and eating/ordering far more than she is able to eat. All of the characters are not very likeable, classism is explored with the different families coming from very different backgrounds with her family being working class, her embarrassment of her background and Kits' family being very wealthy from the upper classes.. It's hard to describe without giving spoilers. It was likeable enough, but I was left disappointed and felt there were opportunities missed to make the story better.

Content Warnings

ashlikes's review against another edition

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emotional tense 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

4.75

Content Warnings

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

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emotional reflective tense 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

4.75

I had such a good time with this book. It was the first book in a long time that I stayed up too late reading. I thought it was a super great unraveling, and I can't wait to read more from this author. And what a COVER. Piglet's parents were so painfully awkward. It just felt so visceral and animal. A great look at how for some of us, food controls half of our lives. Also really appreciated the whole

when-your-friends-have-babies-you-lose-them-forever storyline

.
*bought at Solid State Books near Logan Circle, DC

Content Warnings

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

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challenging emotional tense medium-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

3.0

If you are a person who struggles with disordered eating habits- especially ones that lean towards binge eating- those habits will be triggered.
The entire book is a woman who is just agreeing to decisions other people have made for her and then binge eating away the icky feelings while also self-sabotaging her own career.
At no point does she express an opinion over her 'childhood nickname' even though she got that nickname because

she was helping her sister hide an eating disorder- seemingly anorexia. 'If you eat a quarter, I'll take care of the rest'

I was prepared for the presence of the 'nickname' but it was upsetting for me. The blurb says she can't shake the nickname but she is never shown making an effort. Around the 60% mark one could argue that she starts making decisions but given the surrounding events I will argue it was a stress breakdown calling the shots. She has two friends who want the best for her but other than that her support circle is non-existent. The family is shown to be well-meaning but very toxic and not focused on either daughter- as one's disordered eating goes unnoticed and the other's disordered eating becomes a 'family joke' shared with glee.

The dad is implied to have committed infidelity in the past and still our leading lady chooses to go to him for some extremely unhelpful 'advice.'

The classist tones primarily come from Kit's family who are shown trying to make this wedding a huge deal while calling the main character 'Pig' or 'Piglet' with a specific tone. Kit's mother is particularly repugnant and Kit's father is an implied drunk just going along with whatever the mother wants.
The food depictions are well done- you can tell the author has a history with creative food writing. The easy slide into disordered eating, and that is what the character is doing, is very realistically written. The snippet of anorexia that is shown on page is also very similar to struggles friends of mine have shared with me.

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mandi_lea's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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minimicropup's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense 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? No

5.0

I. Loved. This. But it wasn’t satisfying, the texture was strange, and it left a weird aftertaste…I want more, where can I find more?

Energy: Evasive. Addictive. Vulnerable.

Scene: 🇬🇧 Set in Oxford, UK, in a newly developed neighbourhood

Perspective: We follow a cookbook editor nicknamed Piglet as they settle in with their soon-to-be spouse in the months leading up to their wedding.

🐕 Howls: Moments of ambiguous dialogue where we need to know who is talking, it impacts the story!

🐩 Tail Wags: The writing style. The dialogue (mostly) & characters. The feels and foods. Using ambiguity and withholding as the primary plot device. Piglet being frustratingly horrifying, but loveable. The nuanced juxtaposition of greed and entitlement vs love and fulfilment.

🤔 Random Thoughts:

Half the time I didn’t know what was going on. How does a book that bases everything on ambiguity and withholding not annoy me?

----

🎬 Tale-Telling: Dialogue-driven. Mostly show, not tell.

🤓 Reader Role: Invisible, standing in the room, picking up what others are putting down and tying it all together.

🗺️ World-Building: Energy driven. The physical settings are minimal. The ambience comes from the characters interacting with each other and their environment.

🔥 Fuel: What happened to make Piglet feel so differently about her partner and friends leading up to her wedding? Is she ruining her life? Will she go ahead with the wedding? Will she stand up to others? Will she stand up for herself? Should she?

📖 Cred: Open to reader interpretation with sprinklings of everything from hyper-realism to bizarro nonsensical

🚙 Journey: A dream that feels all too real.

Mood Reading Match-Up:

-Backyard barbeque. Sizzling stir fry. Kettle boiling. Knife chopping. Pots and pans. Caramelized onions. Bitter perfume. October breeze. Fall colours, crunching leaves. River water. Food truck rumblings. Tourists in the park. Hamburgers. Seams ripping. Sickening sweetness.

-Ambiguous plot mostly vibes bizarro realism

-Literary should-I-stay-or-should-I-go romantic suspense

Content Heads-Up: Body shaming, fatphobia (character comments). Pregnancy. Vomit. Eating disorder (starvation, restricting food, binging). Betrayal.Unhealthy relationship. Alcohol use.

Rep: Lesbian. Heterosexual. Cisgender. Fat. Same-sex parenting. Ambiguously described characters.

📚 Format: Kobo

🤩 Potential Fav of 2024

My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶

Content Warnings

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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