Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

In Memoriam by Alice Winn

57 reviews

harlequin79's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Suicide, Grief, Medical trauma, and Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism

moony_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I don’t really think I could possibly ever find the words to describe what I feel right now. 

In Memoriam is sensational. Beautifully raw and gripping with the most talented prose and narration I’ve read in a while. It’s intimate, it’s genuine, it’s moving and it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. 

I don’t think I have it in me to write a full review now, but I might be able to later. It’s just an instant classic and I don’t have words.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

whatannikareads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

you read a lotta mid books to get to books like this, and it feels all the worthwhile :')

literally 'the song of achilles' but set during world war i. it was so gruesome and sad but i couldn't look away. the yearning was palpable. to me, the ending felt a little rushed and anticlimactic after Going Through It (capital G) with these characters, but the rest of the book is so heavy i won't fault the author too much. it was still an incredible reading experience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

ddaria's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

Feels so real that it's hard to read. Especially when realizing how many people have lived through it. But the writing and the characters are beautiful through and through. I wouldn't change a thing about the book, it reads like a classic from start to finish. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, Medical trauma, and War

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Alcoholism

lanamae'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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, and Grief

spellbindingtomes's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

alasia_s's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Outing

Minor: Alcoholism, Body horror, and Medical trauma

gentlemanjack's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and War

zreadz's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative tense medium-paced

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

4.5

“I cannot heave my heart into my mouth”

I picked up In Memoriam by Alice Winn on a whim after saving it some time ago. As a self-admitted history buff, the combination of WWI and rarely acknowledged romance stories intrigued me. The novel follows Ellwood, Gaunt, and a group of well-off English boys attending a private school, who find themselves suddenly thrust into the harsh realities of the First World War. We witness their transformation from adolescents fantasizing about battle to young men on the frontlines, growing up in the span of months—or even days. 

The love story between Ellwood and Gaunt is beautifully written, capturing not only the romance but also the complexities of the world they inhabit. Despite the societal constraints of the era in regards to the LGBTQ+ community, at their core, they are just young men figuring out love and their place in a world that doesn’t seem to fit them—both before and after the war. At times, I found myself frustrated with their decisions and dialogue, but then reminded myself that they are not seasoned soldiers but young men grappling with a gut-wrenching reality.

My only critique lies with the portrayal of female characters, who felt underdeveloped and often reduced to being "easy" and overly emotional. This may be more a reflection of Winn’s ability to capture the mindset of young men of that era rather than a flaw in the writing itself. On the other hand, the secondary characters, especially fellow soldiers, were well fleshed out, adding richness to the narrative. 

The vivid descriptions of war were both harrowing and immersive, pulling you deeper into the story. It’s evident that Winn extensively researched the historical backdrop, which brings authenticity to the fictional narrative. This novel played out in my mind like a film. Without giving away too much, I’ll just say that the use of poetry, emotion, and prose was masterfully done. Overall, In Memoriam was a fantastic read, and I would highly recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, War, and Injury/Injury detail

bellsdixon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Chronic illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol