Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Beloved by Toni Morrison

201 reviews

fiveapplesstall's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

definitely_bs's review against another edition

I was spiraling into a depressive cycle and couldn't deal with it,

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

eliterbees's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Murder

kyxshi's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence

madsness's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Self harm, Trafficking, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, and Excrement

ncghammo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence

notthatcosta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

3.75

I had read about Margaret Garner last year and it has stuck with me ever since. I was deeply moved by the ingenuity and vision it took to take that story and build a wider world around it that encompasses the horrors of slavery with themes of motherhood, family, shame, religion and community in a way that is tender and gut wrenching but also cathartic.

This book is difficult to rate because so much of my enjoyment of it stems from the lore around it and the inspiration, much of which comes from the forward of this edition. The book itself is of course excellent, but at times difficult to follow.

Although the more abstract passages and the tragedy of Beloved, Sethe and Denver as characters made it difficult to get through, this is a book that will remain with me for some time, I feel.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

roselillian's review against another edition

4.0

Reading Vlog: https://youtu.be/ewo1H1uFmPU

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy

readbypiper's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Beloved by Toni Morrison is undeniably one of the greatest hallmarks of American literature on recent history. 
If I was rating this book solely from a craft standpoint, I think I would give it five stars. Morrison’s writing is captivating and perfectly mysterious. She is able to create an amazing sense of dread and tension through her words which is most definitely something to be applauded. The characters in this story are so real and at the same time, they feel almost otherworldly. Morrison expertly weaves confusion and certainty in both the plot and the characters. Truly one of the greatest writers in the American literary canon.
Really, the only reason this book sits at a 3 star for me is because I don’t think I was really in the right headspace to be reading this when I did. First of all, I read this completely on my own, no outside guidance. And while I do love literature and reading, I’ve never taken a real “literature” or “analysis” class. So I had quite a bit of difficulty understanding the story and what it represents. I think if I had read this in a proper class with guidance from a professor I would have liked it much more. Also, the convoluted and emotional nature of the writing made it difficult for me to connect with the book. In short, I don’t think I’ll pick up another Morrison book until I have a more trained eye in terms of reading and analysis. But as for now, her writing just doesn’t really work for me.

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Content Warnings

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