Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

9 reviews

bootsmom3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Addiction, Body shaming, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Death, Drug use, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Cancer, Classism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts

traa's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Violence, Colonisation, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Suicide, Death, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Addiction, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Self harm, and Drug abuse

Minor: Medical content, Religious bigotry, War, Violence, Racism, Genocide, and Homophobia

phantomgecko's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Not a novel exactly but not just a collection of short stories. Densely interconnected snippets of different lives. Each chapter is written in a unique style that tempts me to call it some sort of long form poetry. Styles that stuck out being the one with all (the parentheses), the one in second person, and the one that was a powerpoint.

I didn't really care for the people and what they were doing, but I enjoyed the circles and knots that wove them all together. Like, wow, all these terrible people really couldn't have done it by themselves. I need a bulletin board covered in pins and string to illustrate how wildly connected these stories all are. Especially the ones that seem out of place, like where the PR lady does business with a war criminal.

Again, not just short stories. Though some of the chapters could be interesting stand-alones, the effect of all of them together is just top notch.

Also, the peeking into the future was fascinating. A new baby boom. The devolution of language. Wild stuff.

So, in conclusion, I really really liked this book's structure and premise and details and styles. But I didn't care about the characters and what they did nor about the music/punk/art/drug scene prominent in most of the characters' lives.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Genocide, Mental illness, Racism, and Toxic relationship

fraise's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Homophobia, Alcohol, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Body shaming, Medical content, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide attempt, Genocide, Sexual assault, and Suicide

Minor: Eating disorder and Cancer

unboxedjack's review against another edition

reflective fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship

jmbz38's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Alcohol, and Drug use

lucinotlucy's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

angel_kiiss's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

jessreadsthings's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, and Self harm

Minor: Cancer, Suicide, Death, Cursing, Addiction, Grief, Animal death, Child death, Drug use, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content