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wine_and_dine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I despise Cieran even more for his ability to make her feel worthless simply by ignoring her, and that he blatantly thought he was better than everyone else 'because he's an artist'.
But it was written remarkably well and her though development for justifying abuse was so clear.
The manic thoughts made her such an unreliable narrator I constantly questioned if the severity of the abuse was magnified by her incessant need to be loved (and magnified by the panic of not being loved after an argument).
The ending was very abrupt and her character arc felt very incomplete and nothing was learned from the story; it felt like I was reading her diaries and the retrospective Athens chapters were going to show growth from the abuse and from her own (obvious) personality disorder.
VERY strong themes of: longing, obsession, lust, desire, pain, self-harm, love, friendship, admiration, desperation
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Self harm
ninahuynh's review
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
ola_oreiba's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Reading Acts of Desperation felt like someone with ADHD that has to sit though someone telling them a bad story ever so slowly, it triggers all their senses and turns into pure rage.
At times, I really wanted to sympathize with her and there were a couple of paragraphs and moments/thoughts towards the end that I vaguely agreed with but it couldn’t justify the prolonged and continued suffering for nothing.
It annoyed me how the story was chaotic but predictable at the same time although I cannot fault the writing stylistically. It’s just the whole idea of the book is just pushing how desperate someone can be and how deep into desperation they can go and I think in that sense Megan Nolan is a completionist. Nobody can be more desperate.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
spaceodin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, and Self harm
likeagilmoregirl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is one of those rare pieces of art that makes you feel as though you are looking into a mirror.
I think the writing in this book was incredible and the relationship dynamic was a fair portrayal of what it’s like to live in this kind of turmoil. Specifically, the first half of this book is hauntingly beautiful.
Unfortunately, the second half of this book fell a little flat for me. I found the dramatic shift in the narrator’s behavior made sense, but came on all at once with little perspective on how she was changing.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
aleini's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship
quills4days's review
- 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: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Dysphoria
caitlinggodfrey's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
v7738v773'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Abandonment
nassimd's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Rape and Self harm
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Dysphoria