Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

This Charming Man by Marian Keyes

4 reviews

coffeebookssleep's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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

3.5

I'll admit, I really struggled at first with the style of writing used for Lola. I nearly gave up based on this. However I'm glad I persevered as it was so worth It. It deals with some heavy topics, but it's written so well! I would have rated this 4.5, however rated 1 less star just because of the Lola struggle.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol

vanessa1982's review against another edition

emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Rape, Torture, Violence, and Alcohol

emilayday's review

adventurous dark funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

I can't believe this is the same book I read 14 years ago and always randomly thought about and then I wasn't sure if it was two plot lines from the same book or two different books but I knew the cover art looked familiar when I saw this at the free library and then kept staring at it on my bookshelf. Anyway, it was great to reread the whole party about the alcoholic plotline again as someone who was then actively drinking vs now in recovery and I think Keyes really captured that storyline well.

Not that it's all a downer! There's some funny parts as well as Irish humor (US reader) and there's levity and even though it's a lot of pages, it's a face paced read. 

I will say, it's also a different landscape now than it was then when the book first came out, as such you really have to be able to take a lot of insensitivity with a grain of salt to get at the bigger picture. Definitely racism and trans/queer phobia but then maybe that's the point of that character because it was mostly through Lola's lens on those incidences hmm. Still though.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Alcohol

Moderate: Transphobia and Abortion

Minor: Islamophobia

mahamsiddiqui's review

dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Transphobia, and Islamophobia