Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

195 reviews

pkatrinaanne's review against another edition

I may go back. It’s not what I expected, and it’s tough enough material that I definitely need to be in the mood to tackle the story.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Death of parent

elysianbud's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

One of the best books I have ever read. 

Tananarive Due writes about some of the worst human behaviour imaginable, but also some of the most beautiful depictions of bravery and friendship: a wedding photo saved, a drawing of friend, a helping hand. Both extremes will make you sob throughout this book. Chapters 32 and 33 in particular almost had me screaming in anguish--I probably would have, if not for the neighbours. 

This is a longer book than I typically read but it does not drag for a single moment. This is one of the tightest narratives I've ever read; there's not a word wasted, it's paced perfectly from beginning to end. 

I picked this up for the ghosts, so when I realised there was more then just Robert's perspective, I wondered if I would lose interest, as is often the fear with multiple perspective stories. However, Due manages to make both Robert and Grace's narrative tense and terrifying in their own ways, with or without the haints. In fact, the haints aren't even the scary part of this story. The living are the ones to fear, and Due made me shiver with fear and my heart ache in pain with their disgusting behaviour. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer and Classism

narbine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

Loved this

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

theliteraryhooker's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This is the most emotionally invested I've been in a book in a long while. I found myself angry, wishing I could reach through the pages to intervene on Robbie's behalf. The last third or so had me feeling so tense, I could barely sit still while reading. A fantastically written novel with an important message woven throughout an extremely compelling plot. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

jill_holly's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective 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

Wow, what an incredible book. I didn't have many expectations going in, but if I had, they were exceeded. I read the last 25% in one sitting, leaning forward in my chair with my heart pounding. This book was deeply emotional, intense, and thought-provoking. I won't be forgetting it anytime soon. Not just reflective of schools like this that existed in the American south; it had reverberations of Canadian residential schools too. Chilling, mesmerizing and important. One of my favourite books of the year! 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Racism, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Sexual harassment

applegeorge's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Violence

booksteader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death of parent

shrineofyourlies's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Child death, Torture, and Murder

Minor: Rape

peachani's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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? No

5.0

This is my first Due book, and I don't think I could have chosen better. I annotated the heck out of this book; the writing was so good that there were so many sentences, paragraphs - whole pages, even - that I never want to forget. I appreciate the sensitivity with which the author handed a real and truly harrowing experience. She described the horrors in a way that was complete, but not exploitative or gratuitous. I think some of her other books are more straightforward horror (this was plenty scary, don't get me wrong) and I am a chicken, but I plan to read her entire oeuvre. I know I'll find works that will entertain and transform me. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Cancer, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria