Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

56 reviews

aaashtyn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

It’s hard to describe how I feel after finishing this book. It’s definitely not an easy or light hearted topic to read about, and so many aspects about the story are sad. But in a way the story felt unbelievable at times, or it almost felt like Tyler was playing a game and just some of his comments felt cheesy at times, which sounds wrong but I don’t know how else to explain it. The ending wasn’t very satisfying either, and I don’t really know why. Tomás was my favorite character and I did like his story. I know this story is fictional and isn’t based on any specific shooting, but the stories and events just felt unrealistic at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, and Alcoholism

lorraine19's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

1.0

I was expecting a chaotic, gritty, realistic view of school shooting. I was thoroughly disappointed. Instead, this reads like an overly scripted Hollywood movie. There's so many long dialogues and every character just had to have some dramatic heroic moment even if it made no sense. The type of characters didn't really match the setting. 

I don't like telling spoilers in reviews but I feel like I need to provide examples of scenes to express how unrealistic it was written....

(SPOILERS) The shooter comes in and an auditorium of a hundred students just goes completely silent. When the doors open, not a single person panics or makes a run for it. Everything is controlled and there is little chaos. Police officers find students a couple blocks from the school and BRING THEM BACK. Like what?! (SPOILERS)

Reading the author's note, they state they grew up in a different country and we're unfamiliar with school shootings. They wrote the book in order to "learn about it". Clearly they should've done more research. Insulting to anyone that's been in proximity to violence like this and does not provide a realistic or fair view of school shootings at all. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Cursing, Gun violence, Death, Gaslighting, Child death, Hate crime, Violence, Gore, and Confinement

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racism, Car accident, Toxic friendship, Dementia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

joy_99's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

2.5

It was very close to being a 3 star. It wasn’t bad. Some things felt a little corny. It does show that it was written by someone who doesn’t have to experience this first hand but I appreciate the effort. Storyline did keep me wanting to read it.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Sexual assault, Mass/school shootings, Rape, Murder, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Hate crime, Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual violence

Minor: Child abuse and Blood

kashrae99's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child death, Murder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicide, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Medical content, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Cursing, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Dementia, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Bullying, Car accident, Chronic illness, Religious bigotry, and War

acourtofstarsandmoons's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

This one is a solid middle of the road book for me. 

It was certainly successful in getting me to feel the intensity and the sadness in the parts where it was encouraged - deaths, during the confrontations with Tyler and everyone else. 

The writing choices took away a bit from the story though. I got confused on where we were and the step by step motions weren’t clear enough so that one minute we’re in the science room but then suddenly we’re going out the window. 

One thing that really ticked me off was Tomas’ death. It was completely needless - even more so than any death by school shooting is. He threw himself, literally, into the line of fire to give Sylv and Far more time to get out when Tyler wasn’t even where they were yet. It was completely pointless. I’m that same vein, we were never really given a reason for Tyler’s motivations behind the shooting. The author was giving very conflicted perspectives - in some he was kind and protective and tormented and then cut to raping and shooting up schools, it really just came from nowhere. 

Speaking of the rape, this was handled so poorly it should’ve been removed. For a topic as traumatising and serious as that, it needs to be elaborated upon past a single sentence mention out of nowhere. If you can’t dedicate a paragraph, at least to flesh this plot point out, don’t include it. Focus, instead, on the plot you’ve picked. 

I, thankfully, can’t relate to these situations as I’m safe and secluded in good old Australia so I’m not sure if it was the writing or the situations inspire actually reactions such as these but I felt like everyone was way too calm? Autumn especially. But this could just me a reflection of my ignorance to the subject matter. 

All in all, I’m glad to have read it, I was crushed by the deaths - Matt’s and Tomas’ specifically, but I wouldn’t reread this again. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, and Gore

sarah_chapman's review

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Dementia, Addiction, Murder, Sexual assault, Death, Chronic illness, Child death, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Mass/school shootings, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, and Violence

ecahill23's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Murder, Misogyny, Addiction, Grief, Homophobia, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Gore

_rhea_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Blood

Moderate: Homophobia, Alcoholism, and Child abuse

marisabenn's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

Wow. What a gut wrenching, and all too realistic, story. 

I really liked how the chapters were laid out with the time stamps. The four POVs make this heartbreaking and hopeful. I honestly have few words for this one. It's powerful with so many layers and pieces to be taken away.

It was difficult to keep track of minor characters. I wish the author would have included a list of victims, even if it is fictional. There were so many names either half-remembered or never known that I got lost. 

I also wish there was more about Tyler. We don't know why he wanted to mass murder his classmates, but I guess that's not rare for school shootings. In the end it just felt a little..... forced? I'm not sure, but it was lacking something. 

Definitely need a light rom-com after this heartbreaker. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Dementia, Bullying, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Rape, Sexual assault, and Car accident

bubblepricks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

This book revolves around the POV of 4 main characters experiencing a school shooting. Obviously a difficult subject to write on and one that’s going to upset people one way or the other. I’m left feeling bummed out, but in a satisfying way. I don’t love every aspect of this book, however I think the author did what she intended to. To invoke emotion through writing is a talent 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Sexual assault, Rape, Child death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Suicide, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Death