Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O'Neill

34 reviews

clarapaquerette's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Abandonment

Moderate: Sexual violence and Grief

cubon's review against another edition

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? Yes

2.0

I wonder why only the minority mentions the perverted parts of this book. Yes obv this book is also part about rape, but tell me then - why are the rape scenes written more beautiful than the actual consensual acts??? Also the mention of his dick size several times gave me such alpha male author vibes. I loved the writing style in the beginning because it reminded me of the little princess book, but this one got worse with time. almost screams murakami I can’t believe a woman wrote this. 

Pierrot and Rose have no chemistry as well. They seem like twins(?) almost. I tried to find anything were we could see an actual connection and mutual understanding that wasn’t written direct and painfully obvious. I mean cmon „You are my Napoleon,” ???

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Abandonment

isobel_rose's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Minor: Miscarriage

ella_mai_46's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment

shannaism's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

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

2.5

**Update: Cutting half a star so it can be truly indifferent.**
Like other reviews mention the writing is laden with similies but I wasn't bothered by it. Really, I find it can be rather illustrative. Ultimately, what garnered the 3stars was the fact that the storytelling doesn't allow you to become invested in the characters and by the finish you feel very little satisfaction at its ending. I found that I didn't care much about anything; not the supposed tragedy, or the whimsy. Nothing seems to strike a chord or fill you with as much wonderment as it promised. And my 3 I think is generous because at least it wasn't a terrible book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Abortion, and Pregnancy

atamano's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, and Infidelity

bookjunkie1975's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Forced institutionalization

kiwieroses's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny 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? No

5.0

WOW. This book was absolutely incredible. Its main themes revolve around trauma, the underworld of crime, drug trafficking and prostitution, performers/artists, and two orphans trying to find love in the cruel world they live in during the great depression. Even though it's filled with dark themes and quite explicit adult content, the book is written as a fairy tale or a bedtime story for children (sounds weird, I know, but if you read it you'll know what I mean) which makes it relatively easier to get through for the faint of heart, like myself. I cried at the end, but the last 3 pages are incredibly hopeful and gorgeous; please do not read them ahead of time like I did because the ending was SO epic, and I'm still upset that I spoiled it for myself haha.
O'Neill has a way with words that is incredibly unique and unlike anything I have read before, which takes you up and down through tragedy and triumph, and I just wish I could thank her in person for making such a stunningly heartbreaking piece of art.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Pedophilia

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy

The graphic TWs are explicitly stated and detailed in the book, or are central to the plot and character personalities. If you have not had trauma from these situations, it will likely be a little hard to get through, but not unbearable because the book is written in the tone of a bedtime story for kids (it's complicated but beautiful). If you have had trauma from these graphic situations, I would suggest skipping this book, because it may be a bit much. The minor TWs are only very lightly inferred/mentioned, proceed with caution.

emiliegilless's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

I was really upset that Pierrot died but knowing him and the complextiy of his character and personality, theres no way he could have survived the War, especially without Rose. He was meant to freeze in time, and Im glad thats how it turned out :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

charlotteadshead's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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

3.0

This book was not at all what I was expecting. Having seen it compared to The Night Circus (one of my favourite books) I had high expectations which were unfortunately not met. I could see only the barest of reflections of Celia and Marco in Rose and Pierrot but that was where the similarities ended. I did find this book utterly absorbing and when I sat down to read it I flew through it however the big issue for me here was the pacing of the story. Had the entire book been written in the same vein as the final 150 pages then this book could have been utterly fantastic however it took far too long to get to this point. Our two main characters were apart for too large a percentage of the story for me to become totally invested in their love story and while I appreciate that this part of the story provided important background for later events, I feel that this could have been done in a more concise manner. I was drawn into this book by the promise of a dazzling circus show and unfortunately this was glossed over far too quickly as the majority of the plot was squeezed into the final 150 pages. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual content

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Miscarriage, and Suicide