Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko

15 reviews

mmcloe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense slow-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

I'm a tremendous fan of Silko's short stories ("Tony's Story" in particular) and it's interesting to see her expand upon the themes of her short work in a novel. I'm always thinking about how we read things and have been taught to read things and Silko is a master of reinterpreting events through a lens of Pueblo mythology, ecology, politics, and religion. Reinterpreting and rereading is a necessary first step to the direct work necessary for the abolition of settler colonialism and capitalism.

Her writing is also top notch. Immensely vivid and piercing without being overdone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Racism

Moderate: Alcohol

b0ygenius's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and War

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny

Minor: Gun violence and Car accident

readingpicnic's review

adventurous hopeful reflective 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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Torture, War, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Racism

catapocalypse's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

 I first read this over 15 years ago through a university extension course as a high school senior. Many things from it stuck with me over the years, and it was past time to read it again.

This is a brief but powerful book about dealing with PTSD and loss, and finding healing in nature and tradition. Tayo, a man from a Laguna Pueblo family, returns home with severe PTSD after serving in the Pacific in World War II, being captured by the Japanese military (he survives the Bataan Death March), and losing loved ones both in and outside of the war. Neither a stay in a psychiatric hospital nor resting at his family's home do much to improve his condition, and the alcohol his friends turn to only gets him in trouble. Ultimately, he turns to his tribe's traditions in an effort to reconnect with their history, the land, and humanity, to heal and to see to some unfinished business.

The story includes many flashbacks from throughout Tayo's life and snippets of tribal songs and stories in verse. The mix is chaotic at the start, but focuses in on the present as Tayo regains his clarity. It's beautifully crafted. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Sexual content

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, and Misogyny

shauna's review

mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, and Vomit