Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

191 reviews

rantsandreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

Listening to The Reformatory by Tananarive Due was haunting, unsettling, and unforgettable. Set in the Jim Crow-era South, this historical horror fiction follows young Robbie’s terrifying reality at a reformatory where his ability to see ghosts—known as “haints”—adds a chilling layer to an already brutal environment. The haints were vividly described and felt disturbingly real, but it was Robbie and Gloria’s mother’s spiritual presence that truly touched me. As a parent, I felt her love and guidance deeply, even if I couldn’t connect personally to their experiences.

Warden Haddock was incredibly well-developed and a chilling embodiment of the systemic cruelty designed to crush and exterminate young spirits within his facility, yet the solidarity and courage of Robbie’s allies—both living and ghostly—offered a glimmer of hope in the darkest circumstances. 

The writing was raw and stunning, pulling me through each moment of Robbie’s fight to survive. The narrator’s performance was absolutely outstanding and award-worthy, bringing every line to life. Her narration for the character Blue was beyond the best I’ve ever heard. 

By the final 20%, I was desperate for some hope, feeling both rattled and moved by the storytelling, the racial injustice and systemic violence. I’ll be buying a physical copy and probably reading everything in her bibliography—this story deserves a spot on my shelf.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

ebk92's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Child death

katesmiles's review against another edition

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

Beautiful. Infuriating. Heartbreaking. Important.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

joymargot's review against another edition

5.0

I chose this for my October reading list because of the ghosts but it’s so much more than a ghost story and horrifying in a totally different - and tragically accurate - way. It’s a long and brutal read, but an important one. I was utterly gripped and stayed up late to finish it as I couldn’t sleep not knowing how it ended!

Great characters and such a powerful story but check those content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

kimblebimble's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Child death, Racial slurs, and Racism

Minor: Rape

herelieshenry's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Racism

Moderate: Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Violence

Minor: Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

flying_monkeys's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Antisemitism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death, Alcohol, and War

idabwells's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Minor: Antisemitism and Death of parent

pinkalpaca's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Child death, Sexual violence, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Confinement, Rape, and Death of parent

callme_tippy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

Heartbreaking & beautiful, I loved this one!

Ever since I read "I, Tituba" I have been more open to historical novels and ever since I read Tananarive Due's short story collection I have been wanting to read more of her work. This book was the perfect combination!

This is not an easy read, it is heavy and challenging to get through but Due knows exactly how to pace a novel to give some let up right when you think you cant take anymore. I think the decision to have this told from 2 points of view was genius, in that it provided that "let up" with a POV switch right when it becomes too much. 

I am a big fan of horror and it seems that I will become a big fan on Due as well as this provided everything it needed to and more and was a beautiful and heartbreaking tribute to her great uncle. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment