Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Deacon King Kong by James McBride

10 reviews

trilobite's review

funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

4.0

Cozy pulp

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing

Moderate: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, and Addiction

Minor: Gun violence, Pedophilia, Suicide, Child abuse, and Murder

etbogert's review

challenging dark fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

lrcartee's review

mysterious 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

2.75

I felt like this book went in circles. I almost gave up about 25% but started to make some connections within the plot so I stuck it out. Upon finishing, I felt this book could have been just the last 20-30 pages as it summarized the plot and tied it together. It was just not my cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Alcohol

Moderate: Grief, Gun violence, and Violence

badmom's review

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Moderate: Violence, Suicide, Gun violence, Addiction, Death, and Drug abuse

Minor: Dementia, Grief, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Classism

agnesg's review

challenging dark funny medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Murder, and Racism

serendipitysbooks's review

funny mysterious reflective 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

3.75

 Deacon King King opens with an attention-grabbing scene - a church deacon with a drinking problem shoots a teen who is selling drugs in the local housing project. And the action continues with plots for revenge, organised crime, a female assassin, and the search of an international art treasure taken as a souvenir during World War II. But where this book really shone for me was the characters - lots of them but all fully realised with interesting back stories and quirks - and especially the sense of community centred around the Five Ends Baptist Church in the Causes Housing Project. The sense of place was strong, with lots of warmth, humour and good intentions embodied by some admittedly flawed individuals who had each other’s backs. There is a lot to this book - plenty of characters to keep track of who all go by multiple names, and many seemingly disparate plot strands. But they all come together in a satisfying way and the overall message, one that emphasises love, kindness and compassion, means most readers will close this book with a warm smile on their face. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Gun violence

planreadrepeat's review

adventurous emotional funny 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 and Gun violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, Drug use, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism

amressing's review against another edition

funny lighthearted 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Addiction

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, and Racial slurs

keatynbergsten's review

challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Gun violence, and Drug abuse

This book got so much hype and just didn't live up to it for me. While I did enjoy the book I think I may have liked it more if I weren't expecting so much.

annareads9898's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

James McBride is phenomenal writer and this book was absolutely fantastic. I loved it so much (the characters were incredibly loveable despite their flaws) and when I wasn't reading it all I was thinking about was how I wanted to be reading it.   

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Police brutality, and Rape