Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Murder on the Red River by Marcie R. Rendon

14 reviews

jhbandcats's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious sad fast-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

4.0

I wanted to like this more because the story background interested me, but it didn’t quite grab me and I kept getting distracted. I wanted more about Cash’s life and wanted to know more about Wheaton. I’m guessing those will be explored in the next books - I saw that the second in the series has Cash’s brother coming back. 

I don’t know the geography of ND and MN around the Red River and I think I’d have enjoyed this more if I had. Cash is always driving to someplace and then back to another place and then off to yet another, etc, but that didn’t mean anything to me so it detracted from the story. 

She frequents bars to drink and play pool but I didn’t get the significance of the different bars. I understood that one was more upscale, one had strippers, one was her regular spot, and a few were just places she stopped by, but I didn’t get why the story needed so many. I also thought it was odd that the only Indian who’s even remotely in her circle is Long Braids. 

I did like the way the FBI guys were practically faceless automatons. They kept running into her but their racism blinded them to her individuality so they never really recognized her. And I thought the descriptions of prejudice / entitlement were especially good. I felt angry on Cash’s behalf just reading about the way she, as an Indian, was treated. Wheaton - not even the occasional boyfriend Jim -  was the only one who saw her as a real person. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism

ashdawn's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Car accident

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Hate crime, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

zarelaeda's review

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

maddamn's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Wonderful. Heartbreaking. Well written. I really enjoyed this book. It’s fiction but plays in the sandbox of real-life trauma and historical issues. This may be a bit dark or triggering for some. But it’s a solid read that will break your heart but admire the unbroken spirit of its main character. Cash is so real, which is why it’s easy to forge  connection  and feel her pain as your own. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism

ash_bees's review

adventurous challenging emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

priceofsalt's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Alcoholism and Self harm

yaoipaddle's review

dark emotional mysterious 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

3.0

I found Cash's personal life and story more interesting than the mystery/crime. I worry that her characterization is a little repetitive, but I would be willing to give the further books a chance.

I never felt like I was interested in trying to solve the crime myself or guess much of the motive since it seemed like... well we already know what it'll be. The book has a clear message it wants to share with the reader and the crime is a vehicle for that message.

I would recommend this book for someone looking to read more books with indigenous characters and culture. It also has a nice female lead even though at times she is a lil bit "not like other girls". If you solely want it for mystery/crime then I wouldn't really recommend this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Kidnapping and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Rape

raineedayreader's review against another edition

challenging mysterious 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: Racism and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury

heydebigale's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

I thought this was an excellent opening to this series! I’m very excited to read more of the Cash Blackbear series. 

The Book takes place in the 70s, and the historical fiction informs what was happening with the First Nations in the United States at the time.

Marcie Rendon is an enrolled member of the White Earth Anishinabe Nation and I appreciated her perspective regarding the foster system and how indigenous kids were removed from their families homes. 

Notes: takes place on the border of ND and MN along the Red River near Fargo, ND. Cash is indigenous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Gun violence and Violence

glens's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Murder

Minor: Bullying, Abandonment, and Alcohol