Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

20 reviews

nagoatsis's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Car accident, and Death of parent

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

emma_deeter's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Sexual assault

k_galloway's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Violence and War

Minor: Pregnancy

very graphic child sexual abuse scene

abbimarie's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape

Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War

jsm's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful informative mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Rape

morganperks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? No

4.0

good soup (partially set on an island 😏)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Bullying, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Classism

eternalparadox's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction

kweaver_pdx's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Addiction

faithfullymoonstruck's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Child abuse

sarah984's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I don't really know what to think about this book. The true story of the orphan trains is interesting, tragic and important, but the author made every possible wrong decision.

The characters are all flat stereotypes (drunk Irishman, bitter Native American foster child, kind teacher with no characteristics) and the story follows very predictable beats. The constant use of "Indian" in the modern sections is mind-boggling. The story is written like a middle-grade book to teach kids about the orphan trains, but contains a graphic rape scene.

This is an important story to tell, but there must be better books about it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Physical abuse, Grief, and Religious bigotry