Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko

8 reviews

bkwrm1317's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

Such an interesting and refreshing portrayal of an Aboriginal family. As the artist cover wrote (I couldn’t say it better myself): “Even on a flash motorbike, wearing a leather jacket, we belong right where our ancestors have been for generations…”

Kerry and her mob are brilliant, even Elvis the dog and Orange Cat. Her complicated feelings for her family and their trauma, the racism and colonialism they experience in their small community in Bundjalung country, and structural inequity experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are explored on every page of this novel. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual violence, Addiction, Incest, Rape, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Abortion

ashtronomic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

 This book holds nothing back, a raw, dark and brutal perspective on the experiences of Indigenous Australians.

Too Much Lip was difficult to read and that’s a good thing. The characters are disagreeable, but the novel takes readers on a journey to identify the necessity for their often unlikeable personalities. The novel explores the effect that generational trauma continues to have on first nations peoples in Australia and how that impacts families every day. Whilst reading I often found myself inwardly flinching due to uncomfortable situations and actions, so much so, that I was having doubts in the first few chapters. However, as the tale unravels you come to sympathise with the protagonists even as their actions continue to be contentious.

My only negative opinion on this book is that some POV chapters feel out of place and unnecessary.

This book's message is one that is incredibly difficult to convey, but Melissa Lucashenko has done an incredible job of enunciating the issue. If only more white Australians had any interest in experiencing these perspectives.

 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Racism, Child abuse, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Alcohol, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Drug use, and Addiction

anacereading's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Incest, Sexism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Animal death, Violence, Hate crime, Colonisation, and Addiction

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Confinement, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Classism, and Domestic abuse

seanamcphie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious 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

3.75

not sure why she was made to be ostensibly a lesbian in the first place since it had little bearing on the story and she quickly started a relationship with a random white dude. it felt very weird to start the story off with her describing herself and being described as a dyke and a lezzo and then continuing to call herself that to other ppl when she was dating a dude? i don’t know why the author didn’t just make her straight if she wasn’t intending on actually exploring bisexuality. like it was so random. she goes out jogging one day and bumps into a hot guy she once went to school with and immediately the narrative starts cataloguing and detailing all his muscles and physical attractiveness and how much the main character wants to fuck him with no introspection at all on the narrator’s part. just very random.

this book was incredibly funny but also shocking and really pulled no punches when examining being indigenous and racism and colonisation. i found the quips and banter between characters to be engaging and was really hypnotized by the audiobook narrator’s portrayal of the characters, especially pretty mary. i think the strength of the dialogue and the pointed insights embedded in the prose helped to make the darker and more heartbreaking elements sit properly, and i came away from this book with a lot to think about. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Incest, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Cursing, Lesbophobia, Animal death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Classism, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Slavery, Terminal illness, Genocide, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts

kj2355's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Violence, Animal death, Bullying, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, and Sexism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Addiction, Animal death, Blood, and Violence

starla's review

emotional inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Blood, Eating disorder, and Animal cruelty

Minor: Medical content, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

anouks_books's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Gun violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Drug use

Minor: Abortion, Homophobia, and Miscarriage

sneako's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Domestic abuse, Violence, Genocide, Racism, Confinement, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Rape, Pedophilia, Drug use, Dementia, Death, Child abuse, and Addiction