Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

27 reviews

alexklinect's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

4.25

A fascinating look at the intersection of scientific research and African American history, specifically focusing on the repercussions of one woman’s life and death and immortal cells. I loved the juxtaposition of the supernatural with the natural and the examination of the sanctity of life — there could have been more on these topics. The legality of tissue collection and research was discussed at length, and rightly so, but it was definitely long. The audiobook (very well done!) comes in at almost 13 hours. The tender moment between Kristoff, Deborah, and Zachariah in the lab was the highlight of the book, in my opinion. One or two brief instances of language and some violence mentioned, plus lots of medical procedures and details. 
4-4.5 stars

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Cancer

Moderate: Racism and Violence

Minor: Cursing

acaparro's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Violence and Sexual assault

beccaj11's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Racism, Medical content, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Suicide and Slavery

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Child death, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Grief, Incest, Racism, Ableism, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Slavery, Antisemitism, Confinement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Suicide, Animal cruelty, and Genocide

Minor: Deadnaming and War

parasolcrafter's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

5.0

this book....i really dont know what i can say about it. i learned SO MUCH about something i had never even head of before picking it up, and it was both fascinating and heartbreaking to read about all of it. i wish all the best for hentrietta lacks family and hope that her and those of her family who have passed are resting easily <3

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, Violence, Classism, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Incest, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Ableism, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Racial slurs, Abortion, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Rape, Slavery, and Terminal illness

bearikatherika's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Violence, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Infidelity, Drug abuse, and Incest

marioncromb's review

challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

Easy to read, very informative. Empathetic and meticulously researched. Tells the story of Lacks' family alternating with the story of her cells. Maybe a little long with unneccessary detail. Quite US centric - would have been nice to know about laws surrounding tissues etc worldwide for comparison.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Medical content, and Death of parent

Moderate: Classism, Racism, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death

Minor: Child death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Violence, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Slavery, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Addiction, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Mental illness, Incest, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

arttichokedipp's review against another edition

challenging informative sad slow-paced

2.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Medical content, Grief, Classism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Violence, Pregnancy, and Mental illness

emilymhb's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

Wow, wow, wow. I am not normally a nonfiction gal but this book blew me away. I am so thankful that I get to live in a world where HeLa cells were discovered, despite the personal cost her family incurred. This book was beautiful.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Child death, Medical content, Physical abuse, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, and Murder

joyfromhope's review against another edition

emotional informative medium-paced

3.75

This book charts the parallel stories of science and the advancements made using HELA cells (and the changes in expectation/policy/etc. regarding privacy and consent) along side the history of the Lacks family. 
The science parts and the parts specifically about Henrietta are fascinating and it is eye-opening to see what was acceptable in the past (and what is still acceptable in the science community today). However, some of the parts spent documenting the current Lacks family seemed somewhat out of place and rambling at times. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Violence, Sexual violence, and Rape