Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

165 reviews

stellahadz's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

I can't start this review without saying that Tiffany McDaniel is an immensely talented writer. You can tell that she really put her heart into writing this book, which is based on her own mother's early life. The prose is beautiful and lyrical, contrasting deeply with the heartbreaking story. This is an unforgettable book. Every character feels so real, and every event in the story of their lives makes the reader feel real anger, sadness, and joy right along with them. 

This is easily one of the best books I've read this year, and I can see it becoming an American classic. I highly recommend it, but I also suggest reading the trigger warnings beforehand, since it contains *many* emotionally heavy topics. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Racism, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Abortion, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Classism, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry

amreynrt's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

I thought about what rating I wanted to give Betty. It is an incredible story written in a way that makes you forget everything around you, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst. Betty is a story of racism, abuse, love and magic. It is about very flawed people being a family. It is about a very flawed society through the 1960s. It is about a man loving his children and giving life the most he could. It is about traditions and relationships all seen from a growing kid's eyes.

The set up is great, and the author mentions she tried to do justice to Ohio. You can feel the nature and the Lanes (not streets) of Breathed. You can feel the river and the winter and the hills. Tiffany McDaniel did an incredible job of writing a book from a child's perspective. In this book, everything feels terribly real. 

Never have I ever loved reading such a tough story. Many have said it this way, and I wholeheartedly agree - it is a book I would love to reread, but I'm not sure I'd ever want to put myself through this again. A heartbreaking story put together through incredible writing. I had never felt so uncomfortable reading a book I would give 5 stars to. 

I loved when Betty confronted Leland at the end.  All this time she kept quiet for the sake of Fraya and because she did not understand how and whom to tell this story. I wanted Betty to confront or tell on Leland throughout the whole book, and it felt so real that she would do so only at the very end. Not all stories are fair, not all secrets are told in real life. She did it not when it mattered the most, but she did it nonetheless.

So, so many traumatising scenes. Nova on the train tracks. Trustin. Fraya. Alka when she was a little girl. The kittens. The racism. Sometimes, it was a little hard to take it all in. Yet you just keep going, because it is written beautifully and because you want to understand those characters that feel maybe a little too real.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Colonisation, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal death, Racism, Child death, Incest, and Sexual assault

Minor: Vomit

abbylawr's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.25

Oh man. Both in its prose and as a tribute to the strength of Betty — the author's mother — what an achievement this book is. But please, please, read the content warnings before starting this book. It is very, very heavy and hard to read, but also very, very worth it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Animal death, Child death, Rape, Xenophobia, Racism, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Violence, and Death of parent

mbrunner's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Child death, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Incest, and Abortion

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Gaslighting, Drug abuse, Sexism, and Self harm

libbyyjo's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Animal death, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Physical abuse, Child death, Abortion, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Violence, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Body shaming, Self harm, Pedophilia, Incest, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, and Addiction

b00ksb4ppl's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Child abuse, Child death, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Incest, Rape, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

laurengeorgia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Rape, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Self harm, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Abortion, Death, and Death of parent

ashleykhoffman's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

3.75

This book was beautifully emotional and I'm sure the author felt a sense of power reclaiming so many dark corners of her familial trauma. 

Everything was nice to read, but there was no pressure for me that was keeping me reading. There were LOTS of dramatic moments, but no ongoing pressure or singular thing I was rooting for or hoping for. It just felt like getting slapped in the face every other chapter for 50 chapters. This family was put through the wringer; Betty, too, was put through it, but she seemed to be the lone member of her family who persevered and rose above in the end. 

I've come to realize that memoir-style stories are just not my favorite, but if you're looking for something full of emotions and lots of triggering scenes that will make you gasp and a wicked surprising ending dramatic climax... you'll love this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Incest

Moderate: Racial slurs, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage, Drug abuse, and Toxic relationship

andrearenee42's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

Beautiful love story to family with beautiful writing, but read the content warnings 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Animal death, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Rape, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Hate crime, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

very graphic depiction of animal torture, specifically kittens

syellico's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Incest, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Abortion, Animal death, Grief, Suicide, Death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Child death, Pedophilia, and Racism