Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Normal People by Sally Rooney

87 reviews

spoon_barrel's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

It was a little hard to read at first. Quotes without quotation marks and the frustration I had towards the characters. But I also found the character’s struggle to be very relatable, especially since it starts off when they’re in high school to college. It’s not your typical trope of popular boy helps socially alienated girl. I would say that this book really made it it’s mission to let the readers question what it meant to be a normal person through the relationship of these two flawed characters. I kept reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen to them, so definitely a page turner. The last chapter felt like the last chapter but at the same time, it left us with an open ending which is realistic and on-brand with the rest of the book. It’s not a typical YA novel despite the blurb, which makes it so great to read. I didn’t think I liked the book to be honest, but as I think about it more - I do indeed appreciate it as it gives me something to reflect on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

emmawilkinson's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

malfoyyyyyyyy's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism

hannahanderson's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

3.5

I understand the hype but this just wasn’t for me, sadly. I think I may enjoy it more later in life once I’m older lol, but I can definitely see why people really love it. Poses great themes/ideas about how the media always shows the bests parts of relationships and how a lot of people don’t actually experience that. Truly shows that life is always complicated.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Drug use, Eating disorder, and Body shaming

Minor: Alcoholism

meghanm404's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Physical abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Infidelity

georgiapeach's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Blood

yailinshelf's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

2.5

 Multiple times he has tried writing his thoughts about Marianne down on paper... as if he wants to recreate a precise copy of Marianne in print, as if he can preserve her completely for future review. Then he turns a new page in the notebook so he doesn't have to look at what he's done.

Honestly, I was so excited to get into this book. I hadn't read a book like this before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed.

I couldn't connect with the male character. While he was financially disadvantaged, I still found his voice to be extremely privileged. It felt like Rooney placed much more effort into developing the female character. I also didn't like the constant reminder of how this couple was *different* from other people. I understand that the intention was to show how people only feel normal with the person they're meant to be with, but it still felt overdone. I didn't think the characters were strange, but apparently we were supposed to.

The entire narrative was so repetitive. I thought something would get interesting at one point, but nothing ever did. It was just too boring for me. I wanted to get it done the entire time, but it still took me more than a week to finish it! Also, I know the book was said to have explored things like mental illness and classism, but it only implied these issues, or utilized them as a plot tool. I don't think there was any nuanced 'exploration.' 

There were some really lovely lines throughout, as well as some spectacular moments with subtle themes. I am not familiar with these kinds of romances, so for me these observations/commentary on relationships was really interesting. Rooney's writing is, by technicality, really enjoyable and intriguing. The execution of the storyline, however, just wasn't for me. Interesting but bland. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcoholism

elenamarmiroli's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

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

2.25

Anche se ho trovato questo libro piacevole inizialmente, con il passare delle pagine ho perso via via l'interesse e gli eventi sono cominciati a sembrarmi ripetitivi e/o insignificanti, così come mi infastidiva maggiormente la mancanza di reali progressi della trama. E tutto ciò non sarebbe stato spiacevo, se almeno la prosa e il modo di raccontare la storia fossero stati più avvincenti, ma purtroppo così non è stato.

Tutto ciò ha fatto si che questa lettura si rivelasse solamente ok, e non come qualcosa di più.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Eating disorder and Drug use

thedandybrambler's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad fast-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent

catsy2022's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

Rating: B 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship

Moderate: Domestic abuse

Minor: Blood, Vomit, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Sexual assault