Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

58 reviews

soliveri718's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, and Child abuse

Minor: Infidelity, Drug use, and Alcoholism

mzmegara's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexual violence

Minor: Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Child abuse

sierrabowers's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I thought this book was fantastic. The use of interesting but unreliable characters has you hooked the entire way through. As you slowly start to figure out what is happening, putting the pieces together to solve the mystery of the main character, you realize that everyone is lying. Not just her. 

The ONLY thing I didn’t like was the fact that they tried to make a literal PEDOPHILE a victim in this book. No thanks. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Addiction, Abandonment, Grief, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Drug use, Gaslighting, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Emotional abuse, Blood, Confinement, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

bishesta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Death of parent, Pedophilia, and Stalking

ashlyn922's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Murder, Alcohol, Drug use, and Child abuse

aliciavalenski's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Grief, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Physical abuse

nevar's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Murder, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Medical content, Confinement, Kidnapping, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Emotional abuse

jillian_elizabeth's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense 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

4.25

The audiobook is SO good. Highly recommend listening to this over reading it (or doing both?)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Addiction, and Violence

Moderate: Pedophilia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Drug use

7juniormint's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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

3.0

None of This Is True, to be sure!
The title certainly is accurate! In this novel, Jewell brings us along the various (and numerous) twists of the misunderstood Josie Fair, often through the eyes of everyone but herself. It explores themes of trust, trauma, and, above all else, truth. It is an engaging read, especially when experienced as an audiobook, and Jewell masterfully expressed the strangeness of some situations, leaving things intentionally ambiguous to create an atmosphere of intrigue and missing pieces.

One drawback, however, was the way that the story was presented. Largely, the story followed a chronological narrative structure with clear references to the past and dated flashbacks, but sometimes, it would backtrack to give additional information or reveal scenes that, in truth, we, the readers, should have been present for. There were a couple of times that I remember thinking, I really should have been there for this scene so that I could have interpreted things along with the characters. Compounding this was what I felt were loose ends, plot-wise. There are a variety of things left unsatisfyingly unexplained, and some elements required me not to think too much about them in order for the story to move along smoothly. These didn't get in the way of my enjoyment much, however. If a sequel to this book came out, then those criticisms might even lend themselves well to a continuing narrative.

One of my main points of contention with the story is the ending. For obvious reasons, I will mark this section as a spoiler.

Spoiler

The final twist, because of how little time was dedicated to it, felt like it held less merit than the previous one. I think the intention is to leave the reader unsure of what to believe, and that's certainly a premise I can get behind. However, to draw back into question all that we had learned and re-learned up until that point in the story made me, as a reader, feel very weary of the book. I wondered which facts and which people I was meant to be invested in if, as the title itself suggests, none of this is true.

Up until that point, I was very much enjoying the experience, which was enriched by the multimedia-style format (especially in the audiobook!).

Overall, I do not regret reading None of This Is True. It will be engaging for those seeking drama, intrigue, and twists that come when you least expect it. If you enjoy cinematic audiobooks, too, then this one will not disappoint! I will, however, include below a list of trigger/content warnings that I recommend considering before deciding to read it.

Potential spoilers below (trigger/content warnings)

TW/CW:

Spoiler

mentions of grooming and pedophilia, age gap relationship, mentions of alleged rape, depictions of drunkenness and binge drinking, depictions and discussions of child abuse, discussions and depictions of domestic abuse, mentions and discussions of murder

Other readers have mentioned that some of these themes, especially those involving child abuse, were not handled well in this book, so it might be worth reading other reviews if that content may be especially triggering to you!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, and Rape

rachellew's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Violence, Murder, Abandonment, Rape, Grief, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Death, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship