Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

27 reviews

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This book was an absolute stunner. The writing was beautiful and the structure of the storytelling was just *so* the right way to do it that I felt spoiled with every page. Every character felt extremely real to me both in good and bad ways. This book asked so many questions and challenged me with every new piece of information. I loved the focus on the women affected by the main character's actions in this story as opposed to just the pov of the perpetrator and the themes that surrounded them. This was the most solid read that I've read in a long time. Absolutely brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual content, Body horror, Car accident, Death, Grief, Murder, Racism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Stalking

kananineko's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.5

I think this book was very well written and very well done, if a little shallow. Every perspective felt necessary and added to the story, and I really enjoyed the focus on victims and women in the story of a male serial killer, but... I feel like it could've dived deeper into the themes, and honestly, not much happened. Dare I say it was a little boring and forgettable... Keep in mind that crime/thriller isn’t my usual genre (I don’t enjoy these types of books as much as other people do). However, it was still an important book. I did shed a tear in the last chapter, which is rare. I also wish Lavendar had more chapters. Overall, I'd consider it a good book, though. The writing was phenomenal as well. I'm glad this book was written but it wasn't anything out of this world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Sexual content, Grief, Abandonment, Murder, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Racism, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Incest, and Xenophobia

charlereads's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Addiction, Medical content, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Body horror, Murder, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Domestic abuse

minella's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, Child abuse, Grief, Murder, Stalking, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Drug abuse and Alcohol

risemini's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Racism, Animal death, Sexism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Violence, Murder, Sexual content, and War

soobooksalot's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense 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

5.0

Notes On An Execution has been in my brain's TBR for some time.
 I knew it would be dark, and I wasn't wrong. It's also amazing and unforgettable. 
 It's the story of Ansel Packer, a damaged man turned murderer. 
 His chapters take us through his final hours before execution. The chapters in between introduce readers to women from his life - his mother Lavender, fellow foster child and eventual police detective Saffy, and Hazel - the twin sister of Ansel's wife.
 It's a fascinating portrait of a boy, then man, who became a killer. But Ansel and all of the characters are made to be somehow relatable through incredible writing from author Danya Kukafka.
 Notes On An Execution may be polarizing and disturbing. But it is most definitely recommended.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Animal cruelty

_nessa_'s review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This is such an amazing book. It’s incredible how the author frames the story through the eyes of the women affected and how alternative realities are explored. Making Ansel be the reader is also an interesting choice and love how she never romanticized his actions. 

Saffy is such a badass i love her

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Sexism, Rape, and Racism

Minor: Cancer, Alcohol, and Drug use

dazzle_spider_reader_1212's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Murder, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Classism, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

augustinedreams's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Abandonment, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Animal death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Murder, Violence, and Child abuse

Moderate: Car accident, Stalking, Sexual content, and Bullying

minxtte's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Grief, Animal death, Domestic abuse, and Confinement

Moderate: Stalking, Alcohol, Sexism, Drug use, Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, and Drug abuse

Minor: Car accident, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Homophobia