Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

589 reviews

ruyireads's review

challenging dark mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Rape, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

noonjinx's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.5

I thought this was OK but not amazing. Toni Morrison’s Beloved was far more upsetting and thought provoking.

The antagonist is unpleasant and petty and does some awful things but doesn’t really have any sort of character arc. Because of his relationship with the protagonist I thought he might redeem himself but it never happened. Maybe Butler was trying to show how ordinary and natural slavery felt to white people.

Also, the science fiction element is very light, not really explored, and ultimately pointless. The idea of a mixed race 20th century couple dropped into a 19th century slave plantation is really interesting but I never really believed how they reacted or how they were treated.

I felt like Butler thought of a cool idea but then didn’t know where to go with it, ending up stuck in a melodrama. For me, that’s the worst sort of science fiction and this would have worked better as a historical story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Racism, and Slavery

Minor: Rape

kumquatlemon's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense 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: Slavery

Moderate: Rape

lbyars99's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Rape, Racism, Pregnancy, Grief, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Self harm, Vomit, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death

rachelisathomas22's review

dark tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Violence, and Sexual violence

ivytwines's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Slavery, and Physical abuse

Minor: Rape

carousel's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

While I really enjoyed the plot of this book, the very direct writing style was not for me. Would definitely broadly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Self harm

_natalie_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Racial slurs, Slavery, Ableism, Racism, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Infidelity, Alcoholism, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Self harm, and Blood

sannesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is an amazing read, but this is definitely not a light read! It basically contains all the trigger warnings you can think of, so be aware of that starting this book.

Amazing writing, and a difficult, dark, thought-provoking story to read. This story is about a black woman with modern values and norms time travelling to a time of slavery in the South of America. Even though this has the sci-fi/fantasy element of time tracelling, I wouldn't consider this much as a sci-fi book. This book leans more towards historical/literary fiction. A book exploring history, humanity, society, intereacial realationships, power dynamics, racsim, sexism and trauma.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Torture, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Abandonment, Racism, Rape, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Blood, Slavery, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Murder

figsofpeach's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Death of parent, Slavery, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Child death, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse