Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

27 reviews

nvillanuevadrv's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-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

5.0

I feel this book is a must read and spoke directly to me as someone who has lived in small towns in Minnesota, has been a member of the Minneapolis community during the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent uprising, and has frequented Birchbark Books. I specifically recommend listening to Louise Erdrich narrate the audiobook which adds a layer of nuance, humor, and spirituality. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Murder and Violence

megshrews's review

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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Drug use

Moderate: Violence and Gun violence

passionatereader78's review

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? Yes

3.0

This is an emotional story taking place during covid. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, and Death

Moderate: Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, and Gun violence

Minor: Violence

meemzala's review

dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

This book made me laugh and cry. Tookie is so lovable and so complicated. This book has some of my favorite qualities of Louise Erdrich’s work: magical realism, intense relationships between women, nonfiction elements illuminating the history and current state of Native American affairs, and complicated LOVE. And humor! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Violence, Racism, and Gun violence

glacialis's review

challenging emotional reflective slow-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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Violence

jennieliv's review

emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.25

Took a while to get into but loved the way it ended 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Genocide, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Medical content, Slavery, Death, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism

danimcthomas's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? No

4.25

A wild swath of a book that covers so many issues in such a beautiful and nuanced way. Erdrich is a master.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Racial slurs, Mental illness, Racism, Police brutality, Violence, and Homophobia

Very embedded in the 2020 timeframe - so if that time (COVID & the civil unrest re: racism) is still painful to recall, I would avoid this book.

cassielaj's review

challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.25

I enjoyed this, though it was extremely heavy and challenging at times. Erdrich takes such a fascinating approach in this story, exploring the complexities and horrors of 2020 through the eyes of a fictional character whose own life has been filled with its own complexities and horrors. This story explores haunting both literal and figurative. It opened my eyes in many ways. Though the plot was circuitous at times, it mostly came together, supported by some excellent writing and living, breathing characters. Reading Erdrich’s author’s note about the importance of books and how people cling to them really cemented it for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Racism, Grief, and Death

booksandteatime's review

challenging emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Police brutality, Death, Colonisation, Grief, Drug use, Cultural appropriation, Violence, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Racism, and Panic attacks/disorders

ewinnk's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Genocide, Police brutality, Violence, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Medical trauma, Addiction, Confinement, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, and Racism