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maddythacker's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Suicide, Rape, Addiction, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death of parent and Panic attacks/disorders
nessidy's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Vomit, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Violence, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Excrement, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape
amy1608's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Suicide attempt, Bullying, and Homophobia
Minor: Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Blood, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual violence, Excrement, Cancer, Grief, Infidelity, and Toxic friendship
katlouisee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Self harm, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Homophobia
Minor: Excrement
megb64's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Self harm, and Rape
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, and Excrement
aw_katie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Excrement, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Addiction, Sexual assault, Blood, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual violence, Bullying, Rape, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Homophobia, Classism, Vomit, Self harm, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Hate crime
raisinflakies's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Self harm, Misogyny, Grief, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Bullying, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Homophobia, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Abandonment, Cursing, Drug use, Drug abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Medical content, Racism, Transphobia, and Vomit
_shonahenderson's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Bullying, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Addiction, and Child abuse
Moderate: Cancer, Medical trauma, Vomit, Grief, Excrement, Homophobia, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Classism, Rape, and Toxic friendship
lucykateburns's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
On the contrast, it was hard not to love Shuggie. I don't know how to sum him up. What child doesn't love their mother? It's hard to grow up and accept that they aren't the heroes you once thought them to be. Parents can be very flawed people and, as in Shuggie's case, so flawed that there is nothing you can do to help them. The whole book felt like a journey into Shuggie's letting go of his mum, he couldn't keep her here for him. I think ultimately letting her go was the best he could have done.
In this sense, the theme of recurring self-harm and inability to recover reminded me of A Little Life, and both share similar endings in this regard. The tragic comparison between Leanne's mother and Shuggie's is something to comment on, but I won't go too much into it. Essentially, it just shows the possible paths alcoholism can lead a woman down, neither of which are positive. For this reason, I think the book has a very depressing overall tone to it, there isn't a fairytale ending but sometimes that is the reality of things. Clearly this was never entirely Agnes' fault, but in the world we live in she didn't have much choice. Eugene must feel eternal guilt.
It is difficult to finish the book and not know where Shuggie ends up, or what exactly the outcome of the journey with his sexuality will be, but I am comforted with his friendship with Leanne. I hope they both find love and happiness.
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Excrement, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
merle98's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit