Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

8 reviews

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

Library had long wait list. Will have to wait 22 weeks before I can finish.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Blood, Racism, Vomit, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Animal death and Slavery

kyrstin_p1989's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

Hauntingly beautiful prose yet still direct and plain enough for everyone to access. This book is equal parts historical fiction, horror, and thriller. The paranormal aspect made the story more compelling and without it, it would’ve been just another story about the Jim Crow south and the horrors that occurred there. The characters are brave and heroic and hopeful even when they have no reason to be. This book has the potential to become a classic and should be read widely. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Slavery, Child death, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Cancer, Alcoholism, Dementia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Murder, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

bookscatcoffee's review

adventurous challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Haunting, both literally and in the true tales related about a horrific place (Dozier), this book is a reckoning.  The writing is clear and the plot moves, but it’s not so fast that the lessons that need to be told about racism, sexism, homophobia, and the million other ways that white supremacy has screwed up America fade.  It is stark and visceral and a great story about terrible things.  Definitely worth reading!  4.5 stars

Historical horror with Black characters

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Torture, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Violence, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Murder, and Bullying

courtneyadh's review

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? It's complicated

5.0

I loved this book and truly could not put it down. But it is very intense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Racism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Bullying

Minor: Classism, Rape, Pedophilia, and Vomit

erin_l's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

eclipse799's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

zyxtasaurus's review

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

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

wylovat's review

adventurous 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Child death, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Hate crime, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Death of parent, Rape, Sexism, and War