Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

43 reviews

rover_under's review

hopeful lighthearted

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

3.5

It was a charming book. I enjoyed the setting and grew to like the characters, but I feel like by the end of the book everything felt a little underdeveloped. A lot is said about the history of Mallow Island and and the characters' backstories, but I feel like there just weren't enough moments of the characters experiencing things in the present to really connect with them.

 It felt expository at points and I think with a book with such an emphasis on the scenery and sense of place, it would have been nice to explore it a bit more or have a few more characters outside the Dellawisp residents to add vibrancy of the narrative.

I would have liked to have seen more of the characters bonding, overcoming shared obstacles, and doing things together so I could have felt more convinced by the ending, where the characters are very close and refer to each other as their family. Their challenges felt very individual for the most part, and it wasn't until a few moments near the end that the characters helped each other address their mutual struggles. 

I liked that certain characters had secrets or things that they only shared with one other character, like Charlotte and Mac revealing their pasts', but I felt like something to unite the whole group, including Fraiser, was missing.

The magical realism elements didn't go as far as I would have liked, but that's a personal preference. Overall a cozy book that I felt could have had a bit more meat on it when it came to the story and the setting.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Toxic relationship

rachelkreadsbookz's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Drug abuse

Minor: Child abuse and Sexual assault

Hoarding

sharkgirl45's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Addiction, Grief, Mental illness, Drug abuse, and Death of parent

fearavatar's review

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, and Drug abuse

Minor: Incest, Sexual assault, and Child death

icapturethecastle's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Child abuse, Grief, and Adult/minor relationship

gondorgirl's review

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent and Mental illness

Minor: Drug abuse, Grief, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Addiction

mbmayo's review

emotional hopeful reflective

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Minor: Gaslighting

katiieecat's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Child death, Addiction, Incest, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Car accident, and Adult/minor relationship

valerie's review

hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Death, Child abuse, Child death, and Drug abuse

accovino's review

emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

One of her best. Just what I needed. I'm disappointed that the white woman is a henna artist, though. I feel like she could've been a face painter or something similar and not needed to delve into cultural appropriation. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Incest, Drug abuse, Stalking, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Cultural appropriation