Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - Good Material

Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Good Material by Dolly Alderton

11 reviews

rosa_lina96's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

For quite some time I found Andy's POV to be completely insufferable. I don't know if it was because he's implied to be an unreliable narrator even at the best of times, or his borderline alcoholism that the book never really properly delves into, or just the fact that I've never personally gone through a breakup, but for a long time I was honestly considering DNF'ing this book if only so I wouldn't have to be subjected to any more of his self-centered whining. Honestly, the second half of the book managed to redeem it enough to make it a read that was at least tolerable, if not kind of hard to get through anyway. Maybe it would have been more interesting to me had the book been told from Jen's POV instead, but to each their own.

That being said, the book is a poignant look at how breakups can affect both sides of a relationship, as well as how messy and complicated adult friendships can be--but worth it, because sometimes you'll find the right people who will stick with you through thick and thin.

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issyd23's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Really Good, Actually is the better breakup book. Wish we got more of Jen’s perspective Andy was intolerable and not as funny as Maggie from Really Good 3🎭

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sydapel's review

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emotional funny reflective

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

3.75

Right off the bat, I'm going to say that this isn't going to be for everyone. You do have to commit to listening to the narrative voice of an insecure, emotionally immature, slightly alcoholic man in the chaotic throes of heartbreak who does and says things that will probably make you frustrated and slightly triggered. Dolly Alderton's prose is very readable but Andy is a difficult character to spend about 75% of the book with. However, you have to know Andy's story to know Jen's. And the sucker punch of the 25% of the book that is Jen's made me feel so understood and validated that it made everything worth it for me.

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lauracollins096's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective sad fast-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

5.0

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figsofpeach's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

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f1nnmu's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

For a person who is not approaching thirty-five nor has ever broken up with someone that was no their boyfriend of 2 months when they were 16 I sure did enjoy this book.

Even if the age related bits of life weren't relatable, none of my friends are having kids after all, the part where one might feel left behind, like somehow your friends have gotten it all figured out already and dealing with shit in probably not the most healthy and constructive ways.

To top it of; I genuinely thought it was very funny. The crying didn't really happen for me until the end, but I'm not a very romantically inclined person, but I definitely had a few tears break free right at the end.

It is truly an introspective book and if you like that sort of thing, knowing characters that well and maybe occasionally being called out on patterns of thoughts, then I'm sure you could enjoy this book.

(Or, I guess, if you're thirty-five and going through a tough break up, but I wouldn't know anything about that)

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