Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

64 reviews

kalmia31's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Racism, Trafficking, Abandonment, Misogyny, Police brutality, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape

Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Classism, Pregnancy, and Drug use

danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

This book burns with a righteous fury and deeply affecting pathos. A searing indictment of systemic racism and classism, it centers a teenage girl who turns to survival sex work only to find herself taken advantage of by those who, in theory, are supposed to protect her. Also the prose is stunning with Mottley's experience as a poet paying off greatly. Additionally, it's written in first person, and the way the protagonist's voice shifts throughout the story from shut down and survival focused, to making room for her anger and grief, is just stunning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Death, Abandonment, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Police brutality, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

rockcommander's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

stunning. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Police brutality, Racism, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Grief, Sexual violence, Rape, and Death of parent

123aah456's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Grief, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Racism, Police brutality, and Trafficking

zara89's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cursing, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Abandonment, Child death, Mental illness, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, and Trafficking

Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, Blood, and Adult/minor relationship

kawooreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

For some reason, I went into reading this book thinking it was a thriller. I am not sure where I got that idea. In reading the synopsis it sounds like a young girl, with little options, finds herself involved in a criminal underground. While that is an accurate synopsis, this book is 100% heartbreaking drama with no real suspense. And I don't mean that in a bad way.  It's been awhile since I read something picked for Oprah's Book Club so I forgot that she can pick such soul-destroying tales. This is the story of Kiara, a teenager who turns to a life of prostitution in East Oakland in order to provide for her brother as well as a young boy in her apartment complex who has no strong parental figures in his life. It's a story of resiliency but also of how US American society fails it's most vulnerable. Children of Color are often objectified, vilified, and ultimately disregarded as children when no protective adult is present. This story is a challenge to the notion of "It takes a village to raise a child". Across this country there is an expectation that when children (especially non-White children in urban areas) are without a parent/guardian, it is then their responsibility to raise themselves and grow up to be productive members of society who pay bills, make good choices, and don't break the law. There is no guidance, there is no charity, only pressure from authority and a never-ending stream of predators. The sexual exploitation of minors is a behemoth of an issue on it's own, yet when combined with the willful ignorance and shortcomings of social systems, communities, and people we trust to protect and serve, it's a whole new category of human atrocity. I was angry and frustrated from beginning to end while reading this book. The Content Warnings could probably wrap around a building and while I don't really recommend this book outright, I do think it's a story that conveys a clear image of the shared experience of teenagers raising themselves the best they can because no one else is able/willing to step up and keep them safe. It's proof that Love, alone, is not enough when it comes to having children. As one mother says in this story, "I love my baby, but love don't fix the other shit".

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Child death, Murder, Self harm, and Mental illness

alisonannk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Trafficking, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Chronic illness, and Excrement

caseythereader's review against another edition

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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Domestic abuse, Child death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Excrement, Grief, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Police brutality, Rape, Trafficking, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, and Child abuse

alexandraramz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Violence, Classism, Blood, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Sexual violence, Grief, and Adult/minor relationship

nialiversuch's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Classism, Grief, Sexual violence, Child death, Cursing, Death, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Addiction

Moderate: Vomit, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Excrement