Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans

18 reviews

carlymb's review

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

I’d probably rank the last two novellas/short stories higher. I am just not used to the lack of conclusion that short story collections have. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Violence, and Cancer

mdwsn27's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Murder, Racism, Sexual content, Gun violence, Grief, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Mass/school shootings

ttorisaurus's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Violence, and Death

Minor: Car accident, Racial slurs, and Murder

kaimetcalfe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, Death, Murder, Racial slurs, and Hate crime

Moderate: Alcohol and Infidelity

mmayern's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Car accident, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Colonisation, Grief, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Police brutality, and Sexism

tenten's review against another edition

emotional funny

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

5.0

ALL BANGERS. NO SKIP ALBUM.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief and Racism

Minor: Infertility, Murder, Hate crime, Gun violence, and Infidelity

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

This collection is amazing.

Danielle Evans is a force, a talent, a gifted writer, a freaking prose deity, all of the superlatives. Every story in this collection is detailed, gripping, and emotionally charged but also incredibly pedestrian - on the surface. 

Some standouts for me:

• Boys Go To Jupiter: in which a phenomenally self-absorbed white girl goes to great lengths to justify her blatant racism. I have never felt more uncomfortable while reading a story, in the best way.
• Why Won’t Women Just Say What They Want: in which an artist disappears for years only to reinsert himself in the public consciousness via extremely public and elaborate apologies. Everything about this one is perfect.
• Anything Could Disappear: in which a young woman unintentionally kidnaps a toddler.
• The Office of Historical Corrections: a novella that is simultaneously deep commentary on history and historians, racial justice, Black womanhood, the federal government, gentrification and white supremacy and also a really interesting near-future story about a woman doing her (boring) job.

👍🏻Recommended for fans of short stories and contemporary fiction. If you liked Milk, Blood, Heat by Dantiel Moniz or Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw, you will enjoy this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Chronic illness, Violence, Sexism, Murder, Car accident, Kidnapping, Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, and Racial slurs

balladofreadingqueer's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I really enjoyed this short story collection. My favourite was the title story. It follows two black women historians as they work at the new Institute of Public History that corrects historical errors. We learn about their intertwined lives together in school, grad school and their job and discover their dislike of one another but often their allegiance. It explores on historical plaque in Wisconsin and the story of a racist arson attack, passing and family secrets. It ends with racial violence.

Many of the stories explore history and American race relations. Boys go to Jupiter examines a white woman wearing a confederate flag bikini, her run ins with the university diversity board, the hate mail (and support) she received. It also reflects on her earlier life, a close friendship with a black neighbour and her brother and her silence and responsibility for his death. Happily Ever After set in a titanic museum which considers medical racism and tokenism. Alcatraz explores familial history, desire to correct the historical record of an incorrect dishonorable discharge after her grandfather was falsely imprisoned.

Overall this story collection predominantly focuses on the stories of black women and addresses a lot of important and difficult themes such as white supremacy, death of parents and friends, breakdown of relationships, misogyny and how these women attempted to live their lives with joy and dignity in a difficult world.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Car accident, Cancer, Death of parent, Hate crime, Misogyny, and Murder

cinnaminskies's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Hate crime, and Racial slurs

Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Slavery

samara's review against another edition

emotional reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Confinement

Minor: Mass/school shootings