Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

3 reviews

gbyronwilliams's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, Excrement, Murder, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, and Death

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Excrement

Minor: Sexual assault, Bullying, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Body horror, and Blood

ashleyalyse's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

Minor: Excrement

eep's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

0.25

I absolutely hated this book. Its depiction of mental illness is harmful and gross. The author's attempts to be self-aware ultimately fail, and it follows every horrible part of 'possession'. The premise is a bit interesting, and could have worked if the author delved further into the effects of the TV show on the family, specifically Marjorie.

... and didn't have Marjorie ultimately kill herself and her parents, leaving her baby sister to rot..

When the main question of a book is "Is this character possessed or mentally ill?", it's hard to find anything likable about it. It's annoyingly written, and is essentially just trauma porn.

If you're looking for well written horror with investigation of mental illness at the forefront, I highly suggest The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. As a person with mental-illness, that book was almost comforting and beautifully written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Murder, Suicide, and Gaslighting

Minor: Drug abuse

As a mentally-ill person, this book was incredibly triggering and harmful.