Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

16 reviews

bando_bauldio's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Wow. What a story. Octavia Butler did it again. This was such a gut wrenching narrative that constantly had you on edge. Seeing the way Dana and Rufus’ relationship developed brought on so many complex emotions, especially Rufus’s character development. It also just makes you think about the way people are desensitized to severe systemic injustices, which I find very relevant to our current political climate. This is definitely a difficult and emotionally draining read, but 1000% worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, and Blood

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

One qualm I have with Octavia’s books is her affinity for younger women dating older men. I mean, Kevin and Dana didn’t have a huge age gap, but it’s something I’ve noticed.

charliebites's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Blood, Hate crime, Death, Murder, Body horror, Death of parent, Police brutality, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Slavery, Physical abuse, Self harm, Pregnancy, Colonisation, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Medical content, and Torture

Moderate: Chronic illness, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Classism, Child death, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism

jodean's review

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Slavery, Infidelity, Violence, Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Racism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Suicide, Self harm, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Classism, Death, Suicide attempt, and Trafficking

Moderate: Medical trauma, Drug use, Ableism, Sexual violence, Vomit, Rape, Police brutality, Grief, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Murder

Minor: Infertility, Incest, and Miscarriage

sophiesmallhands's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Suicide, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Slavery, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Rape, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol, Self harm, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism

jessewritecase's review

challenging dark emotional 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: Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Blood, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Racism

maeverose's review against another edition

4.5

I really do not have the words to properly review this. This book was just so good. I stayed up till 5am to finish it and should really be sleeping 😅

I love time travel stories and I think using that trope to discuss slavery in this way is so genius. It felt so real. The characters felt believable, particularly Rufus who was a very nuanced antagonist. Someone you could totally picture actually existing in that time. This was different than I expected in that I assumed Dana would have to be more covert and keep it a secret that she was from the future, but I think it was much more interesting this way. Alice’s story was so heartbreaking. I didn’t think it would go that way.

I think if you can handle the heavy content, you should read this. Especially if you’re a white American.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Racial slurs, Slavery, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Misogyny, Rape, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Blood, Ableism, Child abuse, Medical content, Murder, Vomit, Gun violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: Police brutality

Drowning, Brief but graphic description of a violent birth in which both the mother and child are murdered. The ableism actually comes from Dana and Kevin, who use the r slur and act as if being mentally disabled is such a horrible thing. Dana also refers to being deaf as a ‘defect’.

yaoipaddle's review

adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

https://twitter.com/adju_ster

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Racial slurs, Violence, Torture, Slavery, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Misogyny, Murder, Death, Child abuse, Self harm, Police brutality, Confinement, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Minor: Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Ableism

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Trafficking, Medical content, Torture, Slavery, Incest, Sexual violence, Violence, Confinement, Rape, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Racism

Moderate: Gun violence, Police brutality, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Ableism, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Car accident, Dementia, and Drug abuse

ruthhelizabeth's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.25

I feel like this is a book I should read at least every few years for the rest of my life. Deeply challenging, immersive and deliberate, this book is up there with some of the most life changing I've ever read. The depths of what it has to say means I think it needs more than one journey through for a reader, so I think I will be back here for a second review not so far in the future. A true modern classic, and one I think which should be studied as standard in school.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Rape, and Torture

Moderate: Pregnancy and Religious bigotry

Minor: Incest, Fire/Fire injury, and Forced institutionalization

purple_crayon's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad 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

5.0

This was a great book. Definitely had moments that were difficult to read because of the subject matter but you get immersed in a different way. I appreciate the care Butler put into this book and into the characters. They are complex and you get to know them in deep ways. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Vomit