Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Queen's Gambit: A Novel by Walter Tevis

75 reviews

seren's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

sofiya's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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

3.5

I'm not exactly sure how I want to rate this book, in complete honesty. I think it is a generally well-written (not always, but usually) book with an interesting plotline. I watched parts of the show before reading this book, and I think I'm on the side where it's not that worth it to read the book with/rather than watching the show. The book was written by a middle-aged man in the 1980s and that shows, particularly with how the author portrays Beth's inner monologue (considering she is 8-19 years old in the book). I didn't find the tone exactly right for who she was, but it wasn't awful.

What was awful was

a SA scene that happens in one of the first few chapters (when Beth is 8 years old). It's so unnecessary and doesn't get brought up again or shown to have repercussions. The author actually uses it as a way to build a bond between two characters and it made me sick and disappointed to read. After finishing the book, I still have no idea what the purpose was.

An additional problem I had was how quickly Beth seemed to overcome her addiction. Maybe I'm thinking about how addiction is dramatized in media, but it felt too simple. We hear her thoughts while she's struggling a bit, but she doesn't really fall off the bandwagon at any point.

Overall, interesting book, but I wouldn't really recommend anyone reading it over watching the show unless they're more interested in the chess details themselves.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Death of parent, Racism, and Sexism

kaylee1957's review against another edition

dark inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Drug abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Car accident, Child abuse, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Racism, Misogyny, and Death of parent

More tense than any of the thriller I've read in a long time. Finished in a day. Would read again. Better than the show.

thehappylittleelf's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Any time an author makes me interested in learning a thing I have no interest in learning, they did a great job! The rabbit holes I fell into looking into the rules of chess was fun and also distracting, hahahaha. 
I did enjoy Beth as a main character, and I was rooting for her in the end. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Body shaming, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Sexual content

lkbooks's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Misogyny

Minor: Body shaming and Fatphobia

megannoelle's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Cursing, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual content

fannikereskenyi's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective tense medium-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, and Sexual content

aoifsdarcy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

pastry's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring slow-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

3.25

So, I loved the show, and the adaption is very close to the book, so overall, I did enjoy, however, there's some very unnecessary racism in this books, which they didn't put into the show (thank god), so that definitely bumps my rating. Sure, this book is from the 80s, but I just don't think that's a good enough excuse anymore. Plenty of people from old times didn't put racism into their books, so why should I excuse the ones that do because that's what the times were like. So nah. The story overall is fascinating and I really need to learn chess so I can fully appreciate it, but just go watch the show, it's basically the same thing bit with Anja Taylor-Joy and without the unnecessary bits of racism.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Vomit

miascupoftea's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring slow-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

2.75

this is probably the only book ever that the tv adaptation was better. and it was a LOT better. honestly i wouldn’t recommend reading the book unless you’re really, really into chess lol

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, and Bullying