Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

43 reviews

spookily's review

dark 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Blood, Dementia, Hate crime, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Gore, Gun violence, Suicide, Torture, Death of parent, Classism, Physical abuse, and Slavery

Moderate: Body horror, Cannibalism, Medical content, Gaslighting, Bullying, Car accident, and Kidnapping

Minor: Excrement, Vomit, Grief, War, Animal death, and Child death

sarah984's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-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? No

3.0

This YA thriller was trying to do a lot of different things, to varying degrees of success, but overall I had fun. It felt like it fizzled out a bit by the end though. If you like retail horror (eg. Horrorstör) or socially conscious thrillers (eg. When No One Is Watching) you will probably enjoy it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Death, Racism, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Dementia, Drug use, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Cannibalism, War, Child death, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Gore, Police brutality, Car accident, Gaslighting, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Medical content, Self harm, Bullying, Grief, Sexual violence, and Vomit

imstephtacular's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Gore, Gun violence, Cursing, Death, Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Blood, Violence, Body horror, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Police brutality, War, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Dementia, Drug use, Confinement, Death of parent, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Grief, and Hate crime

Minor: Vomit, Deportation, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Fire/Fire injury

libscote's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

It seems like Jay is going to have a good life. After all, he's now able to live in Karloff Country, a Disney-esque resort that lets staff stay on its grounds and gives them something like an Apple Watch that does a lot of basic Siri-like tasks. It all quickly goes wrong, when the outside world crashes in and the true nature of Karloff Country is revealed. 

I don't want to give too much away due to spoilers, but this is a jaw-dropping look at something that is unfortunately too plausible. I could totally see this happening, and it's horrifying. There are definitely content warnings needed for this book. It's also so good though. I've seen comparisons to Jordan Peele's work and that feels apt to me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Torture, Classism, Confinement, Murder, and Racism

jeeener's review

adventurous dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, and Torture

ashylibrarian's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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? No

4.0

Wow, this book has a lot packed into it. It is dark, emotional, and horrific.

The Getaway takes place at an amusement park, known as the funnest place on Earth. What lies behind the walls of this Dinsey-like theme park is unknown to many who live within. They are told that if they stay within the walls of Karloff Country, they will remain safe. This, unsurprisingly, turns out to be a lie. 

Following Jay and his group of friends, readers are thrown into a dystopian world that emphasizes the ugly and utterly horrific dividing lines in the classism and racism of Karloff Country. 

I want to start by saying this book was good. It was really well done, and WOW does it pack a punch. I still find myself thinking about it when thinking about books to recommend and share. There is so much in this story that will bring readers in and keep their attention all the way until the end. 

There were many times throughout this story that I stopped and said WTF, and I feel like that was really the intention of the author. To make readers stop and ask what the heck is happening, and why is it being allowed? Hats off to Lamar Giles for making a dystopia horror novel that sadly holds truth of our society today. 

With all that being said, I do wish I got more with certain parts of the story. To keep this spoiler free, I will leave it at each this: after the initial reveal that something was fishy in Karloff Country, any time after that something big and seemingly wilder than last was brought up, that was kind of it. It was just, brought up. This is still a really good book and a well-done story, I just wanted more. 

I will be recommending this title. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Classism, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Cannibalism, Blood, and Gore

winmakepiece's review

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, and Slavery

mals_reads's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Gore, Body horror, Classism, Racism, Slavery, Murder, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Car accident, Suicide, Child death, Cannibalism, Dementia, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

Minor: Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Torture, and Kidnapping

trish_reading12's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Post apocalyptic world where money and power remains with the 1% and everyone else is expected to fall into line.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Cannibalism

teawithgriffon's review

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

just borring. ok plot but no likeable characters.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Blood, and Cursing