Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

64 reviews

bookswithbethx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Racism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Torture, Grief, Death, Child death, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Rape, and Injury/Injury detail

fabia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Racial slurs, Suicide, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Racism

rosalind's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Violence, Torture, Slavery, and Misogyny

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Trafficking, and Rape

Minor: Vomit, Death, Religious bigotry, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship

nick13's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-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

4.5

I have never read any of Octavia Butler's work before but now I need to check some more out because this read was astounding, emotional, but astounding. Every single character in this was incredibly well written and well thought out, making every one of them believable, even if some are VERY unlikable.

All I wish more for in this story was for the time the characters spent in their present to be more fleshed out along with Edana and Kevin's relationship to be a bit more expounded upon instead of just presumed throughout the book.

But really, if all I'm wishing for in a story is more of it, it clearly did something very well. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Body horror, Murder, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Vomit, Sexism, Rape, Slavery, Racism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Death of parent, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, and Self harm

Moderate: Infidelity and Incest

Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Infertility

kmccann98's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Sexual violence, Murder, Colonisation, Racial slurs, Slavery, Rape, Miscarriage, Self harm, Pregnancy, Cursing, Child abuse, Body horror, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse

thevioletfoxbookshop's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Kindred is one of those books that feels like it should be required reading for all Americans. I've never read a book that makes the suffering, the complexities, and the last effects of slavery feel so real and so clear. Octavia Butler has a way of bringing history and the present world awfully close together. The characters feel real, like people you know. And the story is layered in a way that will leave you thinking about the book long after you've finished it. 

This was an absolutely heartbreaking story to read, as it should be. And although it was written in 1979, it makes it very clear that even now (in 2023), the systemic racism, the learned behavior and roles, and the lasting impact of the slavery system in the US is still very present and very real. You realize how easily we might slip backwards and how important it is that we actively and purposefully make change, educate ourselves, and be better.

Beyond being important and valuable work, Kindred is also an incredible story. I was a little afraid that I would struggle through it (like I do with some "classic literature"), but I flew through this book! I found myself having read 20 pages at a time and not even realizing it. You become so invested in the characters and what's going to happen next! Prepare to really feel all the feels in this one!

Kindred is a 5 star read. Absolutely pick this one up!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Slavery, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Rape

Moderate: Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Child death, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Torture, and Sexual assault

bisexualwentworth'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? Yes

5.0

Holy fuck. This book was incredible. I have thoughts that I might articulate at some point, but that’s not happening right now.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Body horror, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Grief, Incest, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Rape

chocolatewine's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? No

5.0

This was my first Octavia Butler book, and I thought it was really good. She has a very engaging writing style. I had to keep reminding myself that this book was written in the 70s, because the way it's written, I could easily imagine the setting being pretty recent. I also like that she doesn't shy away from the realities of slavery - it made the story seem more realistic.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Slavery, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

magical_mads's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

4.75

Great book, but difficult to get through. The details are grounded in reality, and that is a painful thought a majority of the time.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Racial slurs, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Blood, Racism, Grief, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

aleksanski's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual assault, Torture, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Death, Confinement, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Hate crime, Death of parent, Child death, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Self harm, Rape, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Blood, Violence, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Body horror, Vomit, Misogyny, Medical content, Murder, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry