Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Asking For It by Louise O'Neill

18 reviews

eliseamelia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Cursing, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

jemimabbello's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book infuriated me, probably because of the injustice of it all that Louise O’Neill meant to educate and display. A tough read that should be held with many trigger warnings and quite graphic but can be educational in rape culture and all that surrounds it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Blood, Bullying, Drug use, Cursing, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Self harm

thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Bullying

Moderate: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Suicide attempt, and Misogyny

Minor: Racism, Self harm, and Homophobia

pruple13's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Eating disorder, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Alcohol, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, and Vomit

fairy_internet's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Rape

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, and Bullying

Minor: Transphobia

clairestream's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol

child_prodigy'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? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Cursing, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexism

Minor: Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit

sunskyleia's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense fast-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

I cried for the entire second half!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Vomit

kamilla_murphy's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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

5.0

This book really took me on quite an emotional journey - wow. It was so impactful and eye opening, encouraging a much needed discussion on the subject of sexual assault and consent. I really respect this book for how shocking and awful it is as it is so realistic. As a result of this, it makes it even more sad for me. Knowing that the first half of the novel, and the tragic events that form the basis of the plot, took place in a small town in Ireland to a fifth year student made it feel too close to home. It was frightening but in a way that I have the upmost respect for the author and the messages she touched on. The aftermath of the events, the interactions with the parents, and that ending (!!) was all too shockingly real. O’Neill is an amazing author with incredibly attention to detail and particularly vivid characters. She transports the reader to the heart of the drama and engraves the story and characters in one’s mind for a long time after finishing the novel.

Although the ending might be disappointing to some, as Emma never seeks justice for what happened to her in hopes that dropping the law suit will mend her family, it was heartbreakingly realistic. It shows the extent of the conflicting feelings one would have after such trauma. The sheer impact those events had on her family was awful to imagine but unfortunately quite expected.

Truthfully, everyone should read this book in order to shed light on the often avoided topic of consent and the standards for young men and women. It challenges the opinions of readers in an especially thought provoking manner, including questions we should all be asking ourselves. Undoubtedly, The Ballinatoom Girl will remain in my mind.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Suicidal thoughts

laurahendsbee's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

Struggled with the rating for this one, it was very realistic and honest and portrayed an inside perspective of mental health perspective accurately and heartbreakingly. I took .5 stars off because it was so bleak, man. No hopefulness and very ambiguous which the author intended to do and I get that but it made me cry

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Vomit, Alcohol, and Drug use