Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

19 reviews

nutfreenerd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Child death, Grief, Racism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Murder, and Racial slurs

arf26's review against another edition

emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book!  So well written - taking a heavy and charged set of topics and adding humor.  The insight into the South Boston neighborhood, code, and mindset was riveting.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, and Sexism

windrunner_nyy's review against another edition

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Racism, Gun violence, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Drug abuse

leonorekoki's review against another edition

3.75

As a historical portrait of Southie in the 70s, I think it’s brilliant—evocative, nuanced, immersive. The mystery/suspense of Mary Pat’s quest is well done, the character comes to life on the page, and the storytelling is masterful. 

As a commentary on racism, however, I wasn’t sold. As others have pointed out, Mary Pat’s arc ultimately isn’t about race.  The barrage of racial slurs  also made for a difficult read, possibly worse in audio where it feels even more visceral and you can’t really skip over words. Historically accurate, sure, but it didn’t feel great about a White author. I don’t doubt his intentions were to show the ugly side of racism, but the absence of developed Black characters left me feeling uneasy and unsatisfied. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Racial slurs, and Hate crime

marthadude's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Torture, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, and Gun violence

kmad's review

4.0

This is an ugly book (both with the language and the violence), but also very well written historical fiction. Conflicted about how to rate it and could change this later. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racism, Grief, Murder, Violence, Cursing, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Drug abuse and Addiction

Minor: Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Adult/minor relationship

alexisgarcia's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

this is incredibly dark and hard to read. this book is very very depressing but it’s a good and important story that shows a woman having to face her own racism, as well as the racism in her community, while searching for her missing daughter. there are no heroes in this story, and there is no happy ending. while this is a crime novel, it covers racism, politics, grief, and much more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, Murder, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Racism, and Toxic relationship

magicinwords23's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

This was such a spectacular read. I was bewitched from the first page. Mary Pat was a badass and someone you want fighting your corner. The courage she showed in front of some of the most dangerous criminals and situations she found herself in was commendable. Her efforts in searching for Jules and the lengths she went to were so admirable that no one could fault her loyalty and love for her daughter. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Murder, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Child death, Violence, and Grief

This story takes place over the summer of 1971, during a heatwave, in the housing projects of Southie, Boston. The city has decided to desegregate the white and black public schools and no one is happy about it. Mary Pat Fennessy is a single mother trying badly to keep her head above water. Having spent her life in the housing projects she is tough and doesn’t let too much get by her. One night her daughter Jules doesn’t come home, the same night a black kid is suspiciously killed mysteriously by a train in Southie. After a few nights and there is no sign of Jules Mary Pat becomes worried and starts doing her investigation, interrogating those who might know her whereabouts. Mary Pat’s interrogation does not go down well with Marty Butler, the boss of the city’s mob and his crew, and along with this, the recent killing of the black kid and the desegregation, it forces a shining beacon over Southie and Marty’s dodgy businesses. But Mary Pat’s whole life is her daughter and will not let anything stand in her way, not even Marty and his posse, to find Jules.

rei_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Murder, Gun violence, Violence, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Blood, and Drug use

Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Vomit, Addiction, and War

Minor: Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Pregnancy

meroth07's review

challenging dark emotional tense 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Racism, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Violence