Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

11 reviews

daniraewrites's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Easily one of the best horror novels I've ever read, one of the best novels of any genre in fact. Grady Hendrix writes the intensity of female friendships with such intimacy and realism. Coupled with sickening body horror and genuinely terrifying demonic possession I could barely put this book down, especially in the final third. Well worth reading, but a read of the trigger tags wouldn't hurt if you are sensitive to any horror themes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Violence, Self harm, Body horror, Blood, Animal cruelty, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Animal death, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Stalking, Infidelity, Alcohol, Medical content, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, and Alcoholism

sydneynorman's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.0

TRIGGER WARNINGS: SEXUAL ASSUALT AND MURDER OF PET DOG

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Grief, Murder, Violence, Vomit, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Racism, Alcoholism, and Animal death

nokibay's review

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Vomit, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Slavery

Minor: Domestic abuse, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, and Drug use

lovelydeadgirl's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Eating disorder, Rape, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Body horror, Bullying, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, and Sexual content

the_comfy_cosy_corner's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Addiction, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Colonisation, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, and War

bookishgoob's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Death of parent

nikogatts's review

dark emotional hopeful tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Vomit, Eating disorder, Animal death, Self harm, Murder, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Bullying, Car accident, Grief, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexism, Alcohol, Classism, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, Forced institutionalization, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, and Terminal illness

eliannamentzer's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Body horror

Moderate: Animal death and Drug use

Minor: Alcoholism and Animal cruelty

mommarex1221's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Officially my new favorite Hendrix book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Vomit, Animal death, Blood, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Classism, Self harm, Animal cruelty, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, and Slavery

Minor: Death of parent and Cancer

coffinfinite's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• 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

I went into My Best Friend's Exorcism expecting a fun horror romp with some 80s nostalgia. Instead I found a harrowing tale of evengelical Christian purity culture amplified by the satanic panic of that same era. While the nostalgia element was still present for the pop culture of the time, the oppressive nature of the 80's Southern American values and prejudices are what really power the story of Gretchen Lang's possession and the havoc that it wreaks upon the lives of her friends.

The friendship between Gretchen and perspective protagonist Abby is what lends the book much of its emotional weight. Together they face injustice and violence at the hands of the incompetent and sometimes malicious adults who control their lives, and the sense of hopelessness that grows as the book progresses is palpable, and where much of the true horror comes from. By the book's conclusion I was far more frightened by the small minded mentality of the story's town than I was of the literal demon sowing chaos there.

I would highly recommend this book to those who love Final Girl horror, to those who enjoyed both The Exorcist and Mean Girls, and to anyone who wants to see why purity culture is a far bigger threat to young women than Satan.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Vomit, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Rape