Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

70 reviews

archaicrobin'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? It's complicated

4.0

An intricate and beautifully written story about a mermaid, called Wajinru, that is forced to remember everything for her people. Unable to bear the pain of all these memories alone she flees and finds solace in a two-legs who helps her realize the importance of belonging. 

Alot of this story I don’t want to give away because the secrets are revealed as you go through Yetu’s rememberings. While focused on magical elements there is so much more to this novella then that and I highly recommend to anyone looking for something unique, lyrical, and moving.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Racism, and Colonisation

calicornmoore's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Slavery

building_a_bookdom's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Eating disorder, Genocide, Grief, Mental illness, Slavery, Blood, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, and Abandonment

Moderate: Pregnancy, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Child death, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Body horror, Colonisation, and Death of parent

directorpurry's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Trafficking, Racism, Slavery, Murder, and Violence

maeverose's review against another edition

5.0

I don’t have the words to properly review this but this book is beautiful and everyone should read it (though check content warnings first, there are some heavy themes in it).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Racism, Slavery, Animal death, Blood, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts

Death in childbirth, baby is born after mother died

ahbmacgregor's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Moderate: Suicide attempt, War, Suicide, Pregnancy, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Slavery

brianneh's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death, Slavery, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

angelkisses's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful tense medium-paced

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

5.0

this is amazing. rivers solomon is 3 for 3 in my books now. their work is absolutely phenomenal. try and go to this experience with as minimal explanation as possible. this novella is an explicitly sapphic, gender/sex diverse (interspecies? kinda?) monster romance a la the shape of you (mermaids<3). While I enjoyed those passages elaborating on Yetu and Ooris budding relationship, the bulk of this story discusses the legacy of slavery and the impact of intergenerational trauma on marginalised communities. There is also a large seed of hope sown throughout this story, much in the same way that hope is weaved throughout Solomon's other work. I am grateful for their perspective on such heavy topics, as they provide a distinct feeling of possibility.

Seriously, no more talking about this book because this review should only be read quickly before any of you reading finally make the push to prioritise this off your TBR!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Violence

Moderate: Slavery, War, Racism, and Misogyny

Minor: Genocide

discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

Wow. Ok, let me collect my thoughts.

This story is an incredibly imaginative and deeply moving study of generational trauma, the struggle between the importance of remembering and the need to survive, and the power of community—of a people, as one, sharing the weight of history together, grieving and celebrating together.

And beyond that, I love how this book, like its characters, can’t exist on its own. Solomon openly embraces the direct inspiration that birthed the story’s central mythology: a song of the same name by clipping., who, in turn, acknowledges its origins in the work of Detroit-based musical duo Drexciya. 

The afterword puts it beautifully:

“We prefer to imagine each of these objects as artifacts—as primary sources—each showing a different angle on a world whose nature can never be observed in totality. … Experiencing these works requires labor—something like that of an archaeologist who’s discovered multiple texts about the Drexciyan civilization [the underwater society descended from the children of drowned, pregnant enslaved women that forms this story] and is tasked with assembling a picture of that civilization.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, War, Self harm, Violence, Gore, Death, Slavery, Blood, and Grief

supercat_earl's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

this was beautiful and haunting. definitely going to be thinking about this for days.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Slavery