Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

40 reviews

sari_lyr's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse and Violence

itsy719's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Vomit

zombiezami's review against another edition

5.0

This book left me almost about to cry. I realize from reading this and The Color Purple years ago: I'm a sucker for books about women and girls coming together to heal themselves from the pain of patriarchy. They build a form of spirituality that centers and affirms them. They learn to value themselves, their wants, and their perspectives. And then the healing they are able to do simply radiates outward, and it causes a reaction in everyone around them to witness that healing taking place. Some don't understand what's happening and they hate it. They mock or terrorize them for daring to live differently, to think that they can excuse themselves from the patriarchal structure they accept unconsciously. Others realize by their example that they don't have to accept patriarchy either, and they can find their own ways to be whole. 

I also especially loved the author's approach to grief, especially the importance of feeling it fully and creating rituals and remembrance about it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Slavery

Minor: Animal death and War

abbyvee's review against another edition

funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing 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? No

4.0

It's so fitting that March is International Women's Day and this is the first book I finished this month. I am so glad I decided to read this book that is about women solidarity and empowerment. I love how Lily was characterized. Most often than not, characters who undergo the things she did (especially young characters) are portrayed, cynic, cold hearted or toughened by life. But Lily, with Kidd's amazing writing, still remains a child who says hurtful things without a second thought, is curious and wonders numerous things that make you also take moment and ponder about, whose imaginations run wild, and above all, a child that explores life and comes to realize that some of her personal biases and prejudices need to be corrected. And I love how she was able to do it, especially the last thing, by immersing herself in the lives of the strong and amazing group of women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide and Violence

ilariasbizzera's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

michaelion's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

Teenage me would've loved this.

I think the movie warped my  little baby brain, so then I ended up liking stuff like The Help and Hairspray, which I absolutely was obsessed with. But the focus on women, bees, connections to mothers and ancestry and selfs... Like ancestry lives within you and also you are your own mother... That white lady kinda popped off writing this. She kinda had a point to make. She kinda dotted her i's and crossed her t's. She kinda had her cake and ate it too. She kinda gobbled ate right the fuck up left no crumbs. She kinda did her thing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Minor: Misogyny, Vomit, and War

mdwsn27's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Violence

Moderate: Gun violence and Suicide

vif's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide, and Violence

loverstakeheart's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Grief. Joy. Found family. Mothers. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Death, Racism, Suicide, and Violence

uss_mary_shelley's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

I've owned this book since 2014 and only just read it. It was a warm story with a lot of heart. I liked how bees were used throughout to tell us more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Mental illness and Police brutality

Minor: Vomit