Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry

5 reviews

deerling's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

It's hard to say anything about this book even though it's not been long since I finished it. The dialogue structure was pretty weird and sometimes I was confused who was speaking. The book alternated between flashbacks and the present, which gave more flesh to the characters. It was interesting to read a book where I didn't like any of the characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, and Self harm

Minor: Domestic abuse, Stalking, and Infidelity

crazytourists_books's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

What do I say about this book? Hmm....
It is definitely super atmospheric and nostalgic and dark. I kept have a picture in my head, of two middle aged men, good friends, in the early nineties, sitting in a sofa, telling stories while projecting black and white photos on a wall for their friends. And as fragments, snippets of an adventurous, troubled life, the book worked. As a novel, not so much. 
I did like it, but didn't love it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use

Moderate: Suicide attempt and Suicide

ssgcedits's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.25

I had to pause several times while reading this and got a sadness hangover for three days after I was done--it's that depressing. But, of course, it wouldn't make that much of an emotional dent if it weren't masterfully written.

I ticked the lovable character box, not so much because they are particularly good people but because they grow on you as their story is revealed and stay with you long after as their nostalgia clings to you. You get the feeling that this pair of criminals could very well be your uncles, that they could be you. I always love an accurate depiction of mental illness and addiction. Sad as it may be--and this one is--it always makes you feel a bit less alone.

And, of course, the Irish charm on every page completes the package.

It deserves all the praise it got and more.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abandonment and Confinement

miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition

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

2.0

I really just didnt care :/

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Violence

penelopereads's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

Wasn’t so much taken by the story but was blown away by the beautiful, poetic descriptions. Water - rain, sea - and birds recurring motifs. Loneliness, sadness, broken-heartedness and melancholy. Feeling lost, hopeless. There’s darkness in the book. There’s a sense of something threatening.
I loved the Spanish setting and enjoyed getting lost again in Granada, Seville, Barcelona, Cadiz, Malaga.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction

Minor: Infidelity, Stalking, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Death, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Suicide, Self harm, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse