Reviews tagging 'Death'

Nightcrawling: A Novel by Leila Mottley

73 reviews

directorpurry's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Classism, Child death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Cancer, Drug use, and Death

danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book burns with a righteous fury and deeply affecting pathos. A searing indictment of systemic racism and classism, it centers a teenage girl who turns to survival sex work only to find herself taken advantage of by those who, in theory, are supposed to protect her. Also the prose is stunning with Mottley's experience as a poet paying off greatly. Additionally, it's written in first person, and the way the protagonist's voice shifts throughout the story from shut down and survival focused, to making room for her anger and grief, is just stunning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Death, Abandonment, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Police brutality, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

sfupi's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

luckyone's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Classism, Stalking, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gun violence, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Trafficking, Child death, Suicide attempt, and Confinement

Minor: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Violence, Suicide, Death, and Death of parent

ajaldana's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

5.0

leila mottley is an incredible author - i cannot wait for her to continue to develop as a writer and to publish more work. nightcrawling is an incredibly tragic, but gorgeously written novel about the lived experience of a young black girl living in oakland. kiara’s narration is raw - as a character she faces an unimaginable number of traumas, yet continues to find ways to survive. leila mottley’s author’s note carefully highlights that for many young black women the pain of survival and existence does not negate the ability to experience love and joy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Self harm, Drug use, Death, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Trafficking, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

caitbrat's review against another edition

challenging dark 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: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Racism, and Police brutality

Moderate: Death, Blood, Child death, Child abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Death of parent

samarakroeger's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

I can’t believe Leila Mottley wrote this when she was 17! it’s so rare for someone that young to put out a book that shows this much promise. While I do think Nightcrawling was hindered by some hallmark traits of debuts, I will for sure be following Mottley’s literary career and reading whatever else she writes. 

a note for the weak-stomached: this book is GRIM. it is unrelenting. it is a tough read, but it would certainly be doing people a disservice if it wasn’t written this way. 

I did find the beginning harder to get into than I anticipated, but became a bit more invested in the last section of the book. The writing was a tad overwritten (not surprising for a poet and a debut novel), but beautiful on a sentence level. It just got to be a little over the top for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Trafficking, Abandonment, Death, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Stalking

123aah456's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Grief, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Racism, Police brutality, and Trafficking

zara89's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cursing, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Abandonment, Child death, Mental illness, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Trafficking

Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship

alisonannk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Trafficking, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Chronic illness, and Excrement