Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

8 reviews

sib_reads's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Hate crime, Murder, Outing, Racism, Dementia, Grief, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Transphobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Medical content, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Blood, Drug use, Classism, Cursing, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Sexism, Animal death, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

zombiezami's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious sad slow-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? Yes

5.0

I don’t know why, but when I first heard of this book, I thought I wouldn’t be interested. In reality, it is practically made for me: a mid-century historical fiction where the narrative changes perspective. That’s right up my alley. I loved the way this was written and the way the plot unfolded. My one complaint is that it felt like Desiree didn’t get as much development compared to other characters. Still, I truly loved this, and I would highly recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Bullying

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Dementia, Drug use, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Excrement, and Slavery

Colorism, lynching

galexy_brain's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Violence

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Deadnaming, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Pregnancy, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, and War

amelreads's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Racism, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism

ifersinklings's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was so good. It really highlighted the difference between being white, white passing, and Black. The story of the two twin sisters and their daughters and the different paths that their choices as teenagers took them was very interesting to follow. I loved Jude and Reese's storyline, too.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

kelseyland's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

5.0

An incredible novel about family and history and the question of whether you can ever really separate yourself from either. I loved the way the storylines of each character evolved and connected.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, Violence, Rape, Death of parent, Bullying, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Grief, Transphobia, Medical content, Alcoholism, and Terminal illness

ashlightgrayson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is a literary exploration of the intersectionality of racism, colorism, and transgenderism. It follows the lives of two identical twins, Desiree and Stella, starting in the 1960s and stopping in the 1990s. Both twins live in the small fictional town of Mallard, Louisiana with their single mother. Mallard has a population of black and mixed race individuals that tend to have lighter skin. The twins eventually choose to leave the constraints of their small town in order to pursue a better life. Eventually, Desiree and Stella go their separate ways. Stella chooses to pass as white, marries a wealthy white man and has a daughter with him. Desiree marries an abusive black man, has a daughter with him and eventually leaves him and returns to Mallard. The story follows them and their daughters and how Stella and Desiree's decisions affect both of their lives and the lives of their family. 

There are many contrasts drawn between the lives of Stella and Desiree and their respective daughters, Kennedy and Jude. Eventually the lives of the cousins intersect, and as a result, so do those of the twins. Through Stella we see the price of passing as white in a society that rejects blackness. Meanwhile, Desiree must grapple with the rejection her dark skinned daughter, Jude, suffers in a community and society that values lighter skin. We are also introduced to a transgender character who must struggle with living in a society that isn't accepting of people like him.

The story has incredible analogies and social commentary. The message at the end is also very powerful and makes everything that happens come together. If you are a fan of literary fiction that has heavy social commentary, this is a good book for you.

I was super happy with the ending of this book. Desiree was able to find a safe and loving relationship with Early and is able to eventually leave Mallard. Jude and Reese are finally happy and able to accept themselves for who they are. They reach a level of self-fulfillment and satisfaction that is contrasted by Stella and Kennedy's lives. Stella has continued to live a lie and sacrificed her relationship with her mother and sister in order to have the privileges of being white. Her ability to even pursue a career is also limited by her close-minded and sexist husband. Kennedy does not live a fulfilling acting career as she always wished. She continues to keep in touch with Jude by the end of the book. However, she ends a long term relationship with her black boyfriend and the extent of her relationship with Jude is limited by her internalized fear of being associated with blackness. Despite all of this, it is understood that Stella and Kennedy are in part victims of a racist society that influenced their decisions. It is also clear that despite all of the hardships Desiree, Reese, and Jude underwent for being black, they found true freedom in their own self-acceptance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Sexual content, Hate crime, Sexism, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Murder, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism

Minor: Homophobia and Death of parent

francestea's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad fast-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

For me this is the perfect book. When I read it I am completely immersed despite the plot jumping through place, time, and perspective. It is such a fast paced read that most people I know struggled to put it down. Reading it a second time allowed me to dive a little deeper into the characters. I would love to hear from some of these characters again- Reese and Jude specifically. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent and Racism

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Racial slurs