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erin_l's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Racism, Murder, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Violence, and Hate crime
Moderate: Police brutality, Medical trauma, and Murder
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, and Pedophilia
tomellibee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Violence, Torture, Confinement, Grief, Racial slurs, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Death, Slavery, Vomit, Gore, Child death, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual content
lochnessvhs's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Racism, Violence, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Classism, Child abuse, Child death, and Death
eclipse799's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cancer, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, War, and Hate crime
orizenda's review against another edition
- 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? No
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Child abuse, and Child death
danahh's review
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Death, Racism, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Blood, and Torture
Moderate: Rape, Death of parent, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent, Cancer, Rape, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, and Police brutality
ambroserr's review
- 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
4.5
The places she takes us are genuinely terrifying. While there is, of course, a "bad guy" that our young protagonists face, the monster underneath everything, curdling the town around them, is a system. And this novel does an amazing job of communicating just how frightening and oppressive the world can become if the weight of that system turns against you.
While the story is fictional, it feels deeply researched and historical, and reminded me a bit of The Handmaid's Tale; an amalgam of real-world cruelties that is all too realistic. There were also shades of To Kill A Mockingbird in the legal details, but that falls away fairly early on, when the courts of Gracetown seem offended that Gloria would dare contest her brother's "light" sentence. Her side of the story, while still tinged with the supernatural, is about her bravery, determination, and resilience as she navigates the dangers of the Jim Crow South while trying to free her brother. There are ghosts and premonitions for her, too, but it quickly becomes clear to her that the mundane failures of bureaucracy and the prejudices she unwittingly stirs are more immediately threatening.
Robbie's side of things is more classically haunted, as he immediately discovers the reformatory to be awash in spirits. The mechanics of the haints as Due describes them are fascinating, and the stories they reveal are terrible. Robbie manages to find some friends early on, and does his best to dodge trouble from ghosts and the living alike, but soon collides with patently unfair systems and is made to bear the consequences. His ability to communicate with spirits becomes a rickety shield against violence, but entangles him with larger forces who have their own ends.
The later chapters of this book featured some of the most tense, thrilling, dread-filled fiction I can remember reading. Unlike most ghost stories, the terror is human, and just behind, enabled and tacitly approved by structures of racial and political power. It's frankly terrifying, and the stakes feel incredibly high due to this real world grounding. Robbie and Gloria go through many harrowing things, and rise to the occasion largely because there is no one there to help, so they must become their own heroes. They rely on each other, and on the spiritual support of those who went before them, and all of it is barely enough to keep going. The overall effect of it is almost tangible, and feels like a vivid and realistic emotional portrayal of the profoundly brave things done by Black Americans to survive and escape racial violence. I won't forget that feeling anytime soon.
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Physical abuse, Grief, and Hate crime
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault and Pedophilia
zyxtasaurus's review
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Death, Torture, Racism, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Racial slurs, and Hate crime
Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Confinement, Toxic friendship, Gore, Bullying, Abandonment, Cancer, Slavery, and Cursing
Minor: Gaslighting, Grief, Animal death, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Vomit
albernikolauras's review
- 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? No
4.5
This was just an excellent story, intertwining the real life horrors of schools like this one that were scattered all over the US and the supernatural haunts that might grace a place that holds so much trauma. Due builds the atmosphere and carries such tension through the entire book. My only minor complaint was that it felt a bit long, but it didn't drag.
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
Moderate: Child death and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Rape, Racial slurs, and Pedophilia
valmai's review
- 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
Graphic: Pedophilia, Gun violence, Violence, and Blood