Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

39 reviews

sam_crl's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective tense 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? Yes

5.0

CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS!!!
Something that I had to learn the hard way is that this isn’t a book that you can just read easily as an escape from reality. 
It has taken me two months to read it and I knew from the beginning that this was going to be a book that will make me think about its content way after I have finished it. It deals with topics that are not very easy to read about, but at the same time Bernardine Evaristo builds up such complex characters with so many hidden secrets that you are simply mesmerized. It was a constant struggle between not wanting to put it down and needing to do exactly that to take a moment to breathe.
Of course, I am White and the book deals with People of Color, which means that I have a very different approach and viewpoints to its content (starting with the fact that I have never experienced racism myself), but I genuinely think that this is a book that should be read by everyone. I’d even say it should be a mandatory school book, but I do not believe I‘ll ever see the day when those aren‘t books written by White men.
In conclusion, I loved this book with every part of my being and I will now annoy the sh*t out of my friends to read it as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Misogyny, and Miscarriage

corriejn's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Hate crime, Alcoholism, Self harm, Pregnancy, and Homophobia

Minor: Deadnaming, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Transphobia, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, Cultural appropriation, Animal death, Dementia, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Colonisation

dre721's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Infidelity, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

Brb literally in tears

elianawolfson's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

3.75

Enjoyed the writing style and the themes- I understand the reception this book has received, but it just wasn’t really my taste. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Drug use, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Transphobia

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship

culown's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Transphobia and Xenophobia

davidrb's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

4.5

UGH so good! More than deserving of all the acclaim. The characters feel like living, breathing people, while also cutting clear strokes about real world issues. Highlights for me were Amma, Yazz, Carole, and Bummi. Less impressed with Shirley, Winsome, and Penelope, though even then, the way they tie into the themes and story is wonderful. Just a fantastic read. The style works so, so well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, and Xenophobia

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

I generally enjoy books that jump from one perspective to another, and this is no exception. I liked slowly realizing how each of the characters connected with the others. I will admit, however, that some of the narratives ran together, and some narratives were a lot more fleshed out than others. 

The one thing I didn't like flat out was the way trans topics were handled in the book. I thought it was great to read about Morgan's understanding of themselves and their loving long-term relationship. However, the other characters in the book repeated anti-trans talking points almost completely unchallenged. Given the growing anti-trans sentiment in Britain in particular, plus the fact that so few cis people claim to know anyone who is trans or be informed on trans issues, I felt that this was not a responsible way to frame these conversations. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Homophobia, Transphobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Racism, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Xenophobia, and Biphobia

Moderate: Animal death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Police brutality, Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Child death, Child abuse, Mental illness, Cursing, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Incest, Islamophobia, and Medical content

Minor: Antisemitism, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Self harm, and Mass/school shootings

bodiesinbooks's review against another edition

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Transphobia, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Rape, Racism, Miscarriage, Infidelity, and Homophobia

Moderate: Fatphobia and Xenophobia

taleofabibliophile's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Transphobia, and Violence

Minor: Child death, Excrement, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts