Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace

17 reviews

drewbutler's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-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

5.0

There’s so much to say about this book. It’s a behemoth and pushes the boundaries of what a novel can do and how much ground it can cover. It’s not without its flaws whatsoever, but I really loved it in spite of its shortcomings. This is a very sad, very funny, very sincere book, and I think it’s worth reading, if for no other reason than that you can feel the honesty with which everyone is written. DFW doesn’t always succeed with each facet of each character, but when he does, you feel like someone is telling you plainly something you’ve always felt, but never had the ability to describe. There are so many themes woven into the myriad plots and subplots and endnotes and footnotes in this massive book, but they all connect and paint a messy picture of life. There is a lot of satire and tongue-in-cheek settings here, but they’re all supported by a genuineness that’s hard to find, especially nowadays in a world where most media reflects the current cynicism so pervasive in our modern American culture. DFW has some incredibly astute observations on entertainment, meaning, and things like personal and national identity, all of which have been validated by the actual course of events and culture since this book was written. Above all, though, he’s not mean about it, and the criticisms levied at some of our worst instincts as a people still feel like they come from a kind place that wants things to change, and wishes that they could. This is definitely a book that you can read over and over again, and I look forward to picking it back up sometime in the future. It’s a lot, and has such a reputation behind it, but I really believe it’s worth reading, and it’s worth getting to know these funny, broken characters that we’re lucky enough to meet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Suicide, and Rape

evetoi's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

rho21's review against another edition

Too long and confusing, but I liked so I'll finish it later.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual content, Drug use, and Mental illness

nickleemusic1's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Animal death, Death, Racism, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Transphobia, Excrement, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Suicide

rue_knee's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Ableism, Abortion, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, and Violence

viksquires's review

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Incest, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence

raegan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Grief, Mental illness, and Medical content

Moderate: Infidelity, Incest, Racism, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, and Violence