Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen

53 reviews

galpaladin's review

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Sexual assault

tnociti's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Torture

Reallllly good Southern Gothic.

mysterymom40's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Racism, Blood, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Confinement, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

forced prostitution, carving/cutting away skin

archaicrobin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Overall I enjoyed this story and the lens it uses to demonstrate how slavery is still around in a way, we just call it different things now. When the Reckoning Comes gives us a glimpse of the daily horrors that people of color and minorities deal with day in and day out. Some of the most horrifying scenes on this novel had nothing to with the supernatural and were all just everyday evils, both present and past. 

The true horror in this novel is society, racists, and the dark past of our country. With that said, I did enjoy the social commentary and the topics covered however, when it came to the horror elements, I was a little disappointed. This story wasn’t scary in the traditional sense, the ghosts never really do anything and when they do you don’t see it. If they kill someone you never find out how. You just read about Mira finding their dead body. The ghosts are not scary, and honestly I don’t know why this was even horror to begin with and not a thriller. 

The beginning of the book was amazing and I was immediately invested, but halfway through, once the “horror” begins the story starts to drag, the characters become flat, and I honestly just wanted it to end. Overall, I would not recommend this to anyone looking for a horror book but more for someone that’s interested in the more literary themes or into thrillers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

irenemarie's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, and Sexual assault

devynvictoria's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

ofbooksandechos's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

This is one of those books that stays with you for a long time, whether you end up liking it or not. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Confinement and Medical trauma

sadpear's review

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Death and Sexual assault

bandysbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

Recently, I've been working on expanding the genres that I read. In the past, I've avoided horror as I always thought it wasn't for me, but after trying a couple of different books I'm finding that I really enjoy it. In particular, I like horror that roots itself in history or the real world. When The Reckoning Comes does exactly that. 

The story follows Mira as she returns to her hometown for her ex-bestfriend's wedding. There are threads of mystery and horror that get pulled into the story almost from the beginning, but as the plot picks up the horror really amps up with it. The wedding is held on a historic plantation where slaves were brutalized, tortured, and raped and Mira's discomfort and disgust with the location is immediately apparent. The majority of the guests remain oblivious to the ghosts haunting them until it becomes unavoidable.

I am finding that I really love horror built on reality. I think the idea of being haunted by trauma and horrific events is much more terrifying than zombies, ghosts, and devils. This also creates a lot of social critique within the story which makes it even better. 

All in all, I found this a very relevant and scary horror story. If you like a more gothic vibe, current themes, and a compelling main character, you should definitely check this one out! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

This book is about the ghosts of slavery on a particularly brutal plantation. Torture, murder, rape, and other dehumanizing acts are described in explicit detail. If you are sensitive to violence, please consider carefully before reading.

laura_crowther's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Colonisation