Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

There There by Tommy Orange

43 reviews

itsradsmads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

cianishere's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Colonisation

Moderate: Ableism, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual violence

bri_fabiano's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Alcoholism and Gun violence

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual violence

kellykc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

chloe_hazel's review against another edition

dark informative reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

joensign's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Mass/school shootings, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Car accident

kathrynclaire's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Mass/school shootings, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Genocide and Abortion

hendrixpants's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

sarahbythebook's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense

4.0

I'm not totally sure how to feel after finishing this book, but I can say that There There is a powerful story.  If you can handle the content warnings, it's worth reading. 

"The problem with indigenous art in general is that it's stuck in the past. The catch or the double bind about the whole thing is this: if it isn't pulling from tradition, how is it indigenous? and if it is stuck in tradition, in the past, how can it be relevant to other indigenous people living now? How can it be modern?"

Tommy Orange's debut novel answers his own question as it weaves together the lives and experiences of 12 Native people coming together in Oakland, California, for a massive powwow. Their strings are all tangled together in ways clear and confusing, and Orange uses these characters and their experiences to bring front and center the lives of "Urban Indians" for his readers. Through their lives, readers are able to see the struggles, challenges, and failures that Native society is forced to navigate while highlighting the culture that still exists despite colonizers' best efforts. 

As much as I enjoyed this book, I struggled with the sheer number of points of view and keeping them all straight, especially the young men. As the book progressed, that got better, but the beginning in particular was rough for me. I think this would have been better with a physical or digital copy of the book rather than the audiobook. 

The ambiguity at the end is frustrating, but I also think it's perfect for this book. The lives of Native and Indigenous people are not static and do not have an ending; this story, a glimpse into that reality, should not have an ending either. Instead, readers should take it as a call to action to do the work to improve the lives of Native communities around them, boosting a beautiful culture so that the youth can break the cycles of poverty that white Americans forced them into years and years ago. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

mekaylynn's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, and Abandonment

Minor: Genocide, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical content, and Pregnancy