Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Les Optimistes by Rebecca Makkai

45 reviews

juliej0715's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

I loved this book. It was a slow start for me, but I also read it in super small chunks at first so it was hard to keep people straight. About 1/3 in, it really picked up and I couldn't stop thinking about it and reading it. It's so sad yet perpetually full of hope and love and friendship and caring, and reflecting on what's important in life. It was so good I want to read it again. I wish there were more books exactly like this one. I also loved it being set in boystown (now northalsted) Chicago and knowing all the places they were going around Lakeview and the city. Just so good overall.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Police brutality, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Toxic relationship, Pandemic/Epidemic, Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Violence, and Medical content

ssolov's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Medical content, Infidelity, and Homophobia

Moderate: Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Dementia

Minor: Vomit

lindsaybethlyons's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Terminal illness, and Death

Moderate: Police brutality, Violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

asienerbrown's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Grief, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Death, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Hate crime, Sexual content, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Police brutality

chrisiant's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Homophobia

Minor: Medical content and Police brutality

garbage_mcsmutly's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

I cried so much throughout this book lol

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Infidelity, Medical content, Grief, Terminal illness, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Pregnancy, Police brutality, Drug use, and Abandonment

A pet is imperilled but survives

m2b2's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book was so (so) sad, but really beautiful. There were entire sections where I felt like I was gasping for air as I read because I was so pained by the story telling. As a Chicagoan, who lived in Boystown for years, I was especially enamored. I felt like some aspects (e.g., Claire joining a cult) didn’t add much to the story, but this is the best book I’ve read in a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Infidelity, Drug use, Terminal illness, Grief, Police brutality, and Drug abuse

dearbhlanoonan's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Medical content, Death, Police brutality, Grief, Sexual content, and Homophobia

ellagrady's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Infidelity and Police brutality

sstarliper's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative 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: Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Medical content, Police brutality, and Sexual content