Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

The Strangers by Katherena Vermette

31 reviews

haileydonna's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Death, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcoholism, Abortion, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

egcam's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Addiction, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Racism, Abortion, Child abuse, Child death, and Colonisation

Minor: Cultural appropriation

ashleydianneconrad's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Addiction, Child abuse, and Drug abuse

lillypowell's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Addiction, and Child death

Moderate: Alcohol, Abortion, Drug use, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Medical content

Minor: Colonisation and Pandemic/Epidemic

theoceanrose's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse and Addiction

Minor: Pregnancy and Death

hannah_mck's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Sexual violence

tlaynejones's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Child death, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Grief, Pregnancy, Racism, and Mental illness

birdiful's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Child abuse, and Child death

Minor: Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Suicide

desarroi's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Child death, Death, and Sexism

serendipitysbooks's review

emotional reflective 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

4.5

 The Strangers is an illuminating and compassionate read exploring intergenerational trauma in a Métis family. It unfolds over five years and is the story of four women from three generations. Margaret was studying to become a lawyer, under pressure from herself and others to overcome low expectations of Indigenous people, when an unexpected pregnancy derailed her plans. Life did not turn out the way she wanted and she is angry, resentful and bitter. In the present her daughter Elsie is battling addiction, wanting to become clean and to be there for her daughters but plague by grief and demons and constantly relapsing. Meanwhile her oldest daughter Phoenix is in a youth detention facility while Cedar-Sage is moved around the foster care system before being able to move in with her father, who she’s never known, and step-family.

It was tragic seeing how the Stranger family became estranged from each other. This was precipitated by the death of Annie the family matriarch and the sale of the family home, and exacerbated by hurt women being unable to look after themselves let alone nurture and support others. Yet the role of government institution and systems, underresourced yes but also arguably focussed on the wrong things, should not be minimised. Towards the end there was a small yet pivotal scene, where I felt if another choice had been made the lives of at least three of the four women could have been very different. In many ways this was a depressing story, yet the love the women had for each other was as undeniable as it was imperfect, and the novel ended in a way that offered glimmers of hope.

Definitely a recommended read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Sexual assault and Child abuse