Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.

28 reviews

jennikreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Transphobia, Violence, and Blood

davidrb's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

An absolute triumph of writing, characterization, and execution. The first review I'm writing here, and for good reason. I think this is going to be my favorite of 2021. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

 This unforgettable book is sure to be a mainstay in African American literature for a long time to come.  With chapters that reflect the books of the Bible, and characters that reflect the characters therein, The Prophets is a liberating epic sprinkled with interruptions by a Greek chorus of African ancestral women and flashbacks to the ancestors' demise.  This is no Twelve Years a Slave—The Prophets contains many moments of exquisite joy, albeit brief ones.  Its story centers not on a man but on two teenage boys joined in the most pure love you can imagine.  Their love outshines everything else, and they are protected—ultimately—by their ancestors, and by the mystical women who raised them.  Please, read this book.   

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Slavery

Moderate: Child death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Violence

Minor: Excrement, Rape, and Vomit

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry

actualghoul's review against another edition

challenging hopeful 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Hate crime, Violence, and Slavery

_lia_reads_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Murder, Violence, Slavery, Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Hate crime, and Rape

kylieqrada's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

Review to come!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Violence

emilybolivia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This synopsis falls so short. I was privileged to listen to the author, Robert Jones, Jr., speak about this novel with fellow author Deesha Philyaw last week. Originally intended to be a narrative from Isaiah's perspective, Mr. Jones shared "What their love needed was witnesses." He created and wrote more than 10 witnesses to their relationship, both Black slaves and White slaveholders and overseer. The result was a profound exploration of deeply personal Antebellum South experiences including voices and stories from ancestors and the horrors of the Middle Passage journey. The scope of voices just left me in awe. It was immersive. Ms. Philyaw said, "each page is a gift". Reading this novel was a full-body, mind-blowing experience in both its beauty and its tragedy. 

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The normalizing of Isaiah and Samuel's love was refreshing and affirming. The treatment of gender identity and roles was thought-provoking. The strength, wisdom, tenacity, and beauty of the Black women was artful and real. The White people were written with care and, Mr. Jones shared, great consideration for their motivations. One must confront their humanity. From the book, "there was no such thing as monsters. Every travesty that had ever been committed had been committed by plain people and every person had it in them."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Excrement, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence