Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

6 reviews

another_dahlia's review

mysterious 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Death, Forced institutionalization, Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Murder, Torture, Violence, and Miscarriage

nialiversuch's review

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Addiction, Child death, Car accident, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Grief, Mental illness, and Misogyny

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Miscarriage, Murder, Violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Sexual content

savvylit's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What a novella! Mrs. Caliban is so many things: a romance, a thriller, a feminist fable. Ingalls has managed to pack a heck of a lot of thought-provoking story into this fast-paced little book. Larry's arrival sets Dorothy free from her unsatisfying life. For one, she discovers her own sexual agency. Furthermore, Larry's constant questions about human culture help Dorothy discover the inanity of many societal expectations.

There's so much more that happens in Mrs. Caliban, but that's about all I can say without spoiling the novella. Suffice it to say, I love this book. A short feminist fable with magical realism? My favorite genre! I can't wait to track down more of Ingalls' work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Child death, Animal death, Murder, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic friendship

blewballoon's review

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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? No

2.0

This book certainly affected me. I was unsettled, disturbed, and upset in the end and it stuck with me for a while. Most of the characters apart from Dorothy are almost comically awful, but not comically enough for it not to be distressing. Even during the parts of the book where pleasant things are occurring, there is a constant undercurrent of tension and dread. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Rape, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

nellvin's review

dark funny mysterious fast-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

4.5

Finished this in two days, delightful and surprising from start to finish. Cutting and hilarious social criticism packed into a sweet romantic tryst. Not exactly feel-good but definitely fun. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Miscarriage, Child death, Alcoholism, Violence, and Sexual violence

angel_kiiss's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Sexual content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Car accident