Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

47 reviews

sshelbyreadss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional

5.0

This story was so gripping and powerful. I was on the edge of my seat during the climax and about had to pull my car over while listening. The number of times I was clutching my chest and holding my breath with hope! Dear god!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Torture, Gun violence, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

artemis_05's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

CHRIST

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Violence

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Sexual violence

tomellibee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Violence, Torture, Confinement, Grief, Racial slurs, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Kidnapping, Murder, Pedophilia, Death, Slavery, Vomit, Gore, Child death, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual content

eclipse799's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Torture, Toxic friendship, Abortion, Alcohol, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cancer, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, War, and Hate crime

30something_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? No

5.0

 

UM WHAT?? This was incredible.

I did not know what to expect out of this since Historical Fiction is not typically a genre I gravitate towards but, damn. What a masterful blend of history and paranormal. A chilling tale that, although fictional, brings to light the real horrors of the Jim Crow era in the South.

I can't stop thinking about this one line-

And of course Haddock had never hit Colonel. Haddock couldn't train his bloodhound the way he trained the boys.

This audiobook was phenomenal. I would absolutely recommend that listening experience and I will be looking up other works narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt. <--- JK. I just realized that she narrated Legendborn (among many others- I will just be bumping some of these up the TBR.)
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Torture, Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, Child abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Slavery

Minor: Sexual assault, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness

rorikae's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

Tananarive Due continues to be one of the best horror writers and that continues in her standout novel, 'The Reformatory.' 
When he kicks the son of a prominent landowner while defending his sister, Robert Stevens Jr. is sentenced to six months at the local reformatory school for boys. When he arrives at the school, he finds it is a place of terror where the head of the school rules over the boys with fear and intimidation. Robbie finds two friends, Redbone and Blue, who help him better understand the school and the truth of his situation. While his sister Gloria tries to get him freed from the school, Robbie searches for a way to escape while dealing with the terrors that haunt the grounds. 
Due does an exceptional job of creating slowly creeping horror that is centered on the characters and their personal situations. She instantly makes you care for Robbie and his family and then puts him in a harrowing situation that slowly ramps up and grows more distressing. Based loosely on a relative who attended a reformatory school, Due mixes the real history of the horrors committed at these institutions with Robbie’s fictionalized story. What results is a deeply moving story that demonstrates the cruelty and racism that permeated these types of institutions. Due also does a great job of only hinting at some of the worst things that happen at the institution while still bringing the hairs up on the back of your neck. A horrifying story with a deeply heartfelt core, please read the Reformatory. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Racism, Torture, Violence, Body horror, Racial slurs, Blood, Child abuse, Gore, Murder, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

jensen1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child abuse, Rape, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Violence, Child death, Racism, Murder, Death, and Hate crime

readingonfordearlife's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Torture, and Racism

seasonedreadings's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, Child death, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Hate crime

Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Confinement, and Death of parent

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Blood, Racial slurs, Murder, Death, Child death, Torture, Violence, Racism, Gore, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Sexual violence and Death of parent

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Suicide