Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

108 reviews

shesun's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Trafficking, Rape, Sexual assault, and Police brutality

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Racism, Self harm, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Abandonment, Murder, Suicide, and Terminal illness

julesbookstack's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Sexual assault, Racism, Drug abuse, Self harm, and Police brutality

kp_writ's review

3.0

Extremely mixed feelings about this read. Some of the most poetic and mesmerizing prose I've seen in a novel, with very real and poignant slice of life writing for the first quarter of the book. But the plot and pacing honestly made this read a bit miserable. 

Very bleak and caused me to dissociate, so I admittedly skimmed through half the novel and therefore missed out on that poetic prose that was the strongest asset. The plot wallowed so much in its depressing and traumatic turns (of which there were many...) that it got in the way of any character development and relationship building. While the conflict between characters was very real and nuanced, the relationships themselves felt static and stubborn, usually forgotten when the two characters weren't interacting on the page. 

In the end, each character felt less like a person and more like an object to project plot points and thematic messaging, which of course under baked any message that was conveyed. I cannot understate how much trauma these characters endured, and how unnecessary some of the descriptions and events seemed to me. While I don't doubt this amount of trauma is reality for some Black Americans, the overuse of it, in combination with some of the other weaknesses of this book, took away from the storytelling. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Stalking, and Rape

Moderate: Racism, Addiction, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, and Mental illness

shelvedbyamanda's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

stuffinmybrainhole's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, Grief, Excrement, Drug use, Child death, Sexual content, Rape, and Misogyny

bambooboy's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Transphobia, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Classism, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Vomit, Colonisation, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Violence

babymoomoocow's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense 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

4.0

This is a book I feel like every adult should read this, especially for black history month. 

It’s an window into a relatable experience of black women in the US. 

I was gonna say every adult that’s comfy with XYZ. But no. This is a book meant to be heartbreaking. Because this is the life of many people in the US. It’s ugly and sad and unjust. But has moments of love and pure joy. 

I wasn’t expected queer representation in here and I loved how causal it was. 

I wouldn’t say this is my favorite book of the year. But I would say it’s a required book of the year and I love it for that. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Abandonment, Child death, Drug use, Addiction, Bullying, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse

hanelisil's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

🥺 Heart-wrenching and brilliantly written. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Death, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Sexual content, and Trafficking

matildaesandell's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

A slow read, but a powerful book. It is crazy to me that the author of this book is so young, and has written such a harrowing tale. This book perfectly captures the corrupt legal system and the struggles of young people growing up with no one to help guide them. I struggled a bit to get into this h book unfortunately which is why I haven’t rated it too highly, but the ending was very good. I know Leila Mottley has the potential to go on writing 5 star books in my opinion if she chooses to do so. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, and Violence

hinkleh's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Trafficking, Rape, Child abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Police brutality, Child death, Stalking, Abandonment, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Blood, Excrement, Terminal illness, Addiction, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Suicide