Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

There There by Tommy Orange

77 reviews

laurao's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Religious bigotry, Racism, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Genocide, Fatphobia, Excrement, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, Cursing, Car accident, Cancer, Body shaming, Blood, and Addiction

Minor: War and Xenophobia

The characters were numb and isolated. It’s an important topic, but it was just hard to read.

kulera's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Murder, Suicide, Violence, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, and Misogyny

Minor: Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Car accident, Sexual assault, and Abortion

allyofshalott's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Excrement, Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

anniefwrites's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

I think this book is one of those reads that I’ll need to reflect on for a while to understand its full effect. Tommy Orange has such a strong voice and uses inventive and intensely visual and sensory language. I personally found the multiple perspectives a little difficult to keep straight (and appreciated the cast of characters at the front; I referred back to it often) and

I understand why Orange opted for a violent ending, but especially given what’s going on in the news right now, it was disappointing and hard to take in.

Nonetheless, I think this was a great place to start for me to read more Indigenous stories, and it explores an often ignored community—Urban Indigenous groups—in a very complex and full way. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Murder, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gore, and Gun violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Ableism, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Genocide, Sexual assault, War, and Racism

ashleycmms's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Abandonment, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Violence, Drug abuse, Blood, Death, Child death, Suicide, Alcohol, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Racism, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Animal death, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

bagel_cm's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Death of parent

v_neptune's review against another edition

too triggering :(

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Excrement, Grief, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Ableism, Gun violence, Rape, Cursing, Mental illness, and Sexual assault

cheesepuppy's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

Very powerful

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Mass/school shootings, Classism, Death of parent, and Blood

Moderate: Colonisation, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Emotional abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment

Minor: Mental illness

seawarrior's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

5.0

There There is unlike any book I've read before. Within it, Orange weaves together the lives of twelve Native characters from Oakland, setting up a searing finale we are left to dread from the first chapter. The novel is preluded by a nonfiction essay telling the true history and horror of colonization in the past, and followed by an interlude describing the modern weight of colonization, and the significance of powwows as a place of togetherness for Native people of all tribes. I've never seen a book set up this way before and think it was a wise choice, as the essays provided information I had not previously known, but was essential to understanding the world There There aimed to reflect. 

Orange's skill and detail creating each of his characters is impressive to say the least. He writes from multiple perspectives and points in time, giving each person their own distinct voice and tone when telling their stories. The problems these characters are living through are interconnected but diverse, even among family members. Yet Orange never fails to get within the minds of these very different people, pressing the reader to understand them all, even those who we know will threaten the safety of the Powwow. He pulls no punches when describing tragedy, illness and grief, but still provides his characters with opportunity for hope and peace whenever possible. This is one of the most effectively written books I've ever read and I highly recommend it, but please note the content warnings below. Alcoholism especially was described with heavy detail, so if that's something you're susceptible to you may want to read with caution. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, Pregnancy, Suicide, Racism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Misogyny

amandalorianxo's review

emotional informative reflective sad 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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This is my first fictional novel written by a Native American in 2022 and I’m glad I took a chance with this. I originally assumed it was a collection of short stories but then I realized they all were connected in some six degrees way. I enjoyed the history that was intertwined with the fictional stories, enlightening and educating me a lot more than a textbook could. I listened to most of this via audio & other portions just reading but I liked all of the chosen voice overs. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, and Cursing