Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

274 reviews

rubythedreamer's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.5

Dark, gritty and real, Mottley captures the reality of the 2015 Oakland police department sex explotation scandal from the viewpoint of a girl in the middle trying her best to survive. A truly horrific reality but Mottley gives a voice to the survivors through her fictional character of Kiara.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, and Trafficking

pickashelf's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Trafficking, Sexual content, and Police brutality

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Suicide

bananahan's review

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Cursing, Child death, Rape, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexism, Racism, Police brutality, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Vomit, Classism, Gun violence, Addiction, Racism, Pregnancy, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit, Blood, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Transphobia

devmin's review against another edition

dark emotional

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Police brutality, and Rape

Moderate: Self harm

Minor: Child death

tuesdaymendoza's review

challenging dark emotional informative tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

There are certain books that transcend the transaction of purchasing a book to read into feeling like you’re getting away with something by having access to something so well-written.

For a novel that she began at 17 years old, Nightcrawling is brilliant. Leila Mottley has a wonderful writing style that shares an incredible story intentionally. She plays with using descriptive imagery and cold factual phrases so the reader can experience the intensity, detachment, and jaded nature that Kiara, and those around her, use to survive.

For a first time reader, I’d say to take note of the following: fingers, shit pool/water, colors throughout the book, the relationship to emotions the characters have, and the dynamics Kiara has with Trevor vs her own brother.

Some ways Mottley puts the reader into Kiara’s world:

“This morning is different. The way Dee’s laugh swirls upward into a high-pitched sort of scream before it wanders into her bellow.”

“Alejandra’s hair is silky and black, spilling from the bun on top of her head. Her skin is oily, slick with the sweat of the kitchen she has spent the past twenty minutes in.”

“Funeral day is a reckoning, when we mimic thieves and really just find excuses for our tears, then light up, eat until we have never felt fuller, and find somewhere to dance. Funeral day is the culmination of all our past selves, when we hold our own memorials for people we never buried right. The funeral always ends, though, and we all gotta get back to the hustle.”

Overall, fantastic!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Rape

acorny's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Police brutality

murve's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Classism, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Rape, Racism, and Sexual assault

kirstycurty's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

4.25

I felt for the main character and her situation. She felt so real and I feel that so many people can relate to the lived experiences of characters in the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gun violence

cirrenamarie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, and Rape

Moderate: Child death, Drug abuse, and Child abuse

Minor: Trafficking, Violence, and Self harm

sophiekingo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Child death, and Self harm