Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

294 reviews

sunflower7skull's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

Beautifully written and it reads like a classic, but I can't say I enjoyed the plot. Gorgeous and heart-wrenching descriptions of grief are the brightest point, which is sort of saying something. Definitely check the trigger warnings on this book, because the depictions of suicide and drug abuse are very graphic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Suicide, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Addiction, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Murder, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Car accident, Vomit, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Child death

Minor: Animal cruelty

Very graphic depictions of drug abuse, grief, suicide, and addiction! Watch out if that could bother you.

lambclown's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder

Minor: Racial slurs

lmilfort's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad slow-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

[follows a man who loses his mom in a museum explosion at 13 and he becomes obsessed with an painting that they saw together in the exhibit] really like the story and the characters, Boris and Mr. Hobart are my personal favorites. Really nihilistic basically up until the last few pages 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Murder, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Vomit, and Abandonment

vkce23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

What to say about this book? One of the best I’ve ever read. So convincing, so compulsive, so sad, so gripping. The slower pace makes you sit with Theo’s every thought and action and immerses you completely in the character. There’s tense moments, devastating ones, self destruction and how to find a little joy where you can get it amongst the madness! Couldn’t rate it higher - 5*s for sure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Violence

diana1's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Gore

wesleyreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.25

Very original story, written very well (amazing atmospheric descriptions), gripping, it leaves you wanting more. I love the themes (guilt, grief, what's right and wrong, does such a thing as fate exist?), the symbolism, the way the characters all contrast each other and all serve to offer another perspective on the themes. There is just so much to unpack...

There was just one section of the book I found boring and I felt the character was wallowing in self-pity with not much going on for a while. Luckily the pace quickly picked up again. The end fell a bit flat, but I guess it was a choice lol.

I don't understand why so few people mention this but unfortunately there are a lot of racial stereotypes being portrayed. Any character who isn't American is basically a stereotype of their culture and even their dialogue is written in heavy accents, which I found unnecessary. As if as a rule immigrants can't learn to speak English well? For example, all Russian characters have the exact same voice and similar personalities. I would rate it higher, if it had been less obnoxious with that. 

Also, given its widespread success, the number of people involved in writing this book, and many reprints I found it surprising that there were several mistakes made when the author was trying to write Dutch words. 

Overall, a very amusing read that leaves you thinking about what it all meant, but be prepared for racism...

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Racism and Racial slurs

lyn_g's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent

jessmbark's review

dark emotional slow-paced

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

1.25

This book probably could have been at least 100 pages shorter, but as someone who unexpectedly lost both parents as a young adult, I resonated with the exploration of grief. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Drug abuse, Murder, Drug use, and Gun violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

theprinceofdenmark's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

the best book about grief and loss since catcher in the rye.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Animal cruelty, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Violence, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Stalking

grcompain's review

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

5.0

While I don’t think this book is for everyone I love this book because Tartt writes in a way that touches me so personally. The in-depth over detailed descriptions and pages describing the mental perspective of the characters moving through PTSD and depression and substance abuse is so detailed and spans so many years. It felt like such an authentic encapsulation of a life. While I don’t think the book is perfect, I loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Death of parent, Infidelity, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Alcoholism, Addiction, Vomit, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Death, Child death, Blood, and Alcohol