Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen

53 reviews

amandinesophie's review

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

I was loving this one until the last part. It went all over the place and I just wasn't as engaged anymore. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Blood

brookey8888's review

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

This isn’t horror like scary ghost and slashers. It’s the horror of history and men. 

The start of this was kind of boring I’m not going to lie because nothing really happened. But the last like 20% had my jaw on the floor multiple times and not because it’s necessarily shocking, but because it was so disturbing and anger inducing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

isabellew27's review

dark informative mysterious reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Sexual violence

Minor: Classism

ska1224's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

nochilarybanks's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Murder, and Classism

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

Context: 

I borrowed When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen from my library through the Libby App.

 

Review:

When the Reckoning Comes is a straightforward and well-executed novel that emphasizes the horrors of American slavery and racism and the importance of confronting the past. The book’s strength lies in its ability to balance the horror and plot elements with the relationships between its characters, Mira, Jesse, and Celine. Without this grounding in the characters and the relationships, When the Reckoning Comes might have been rather generic. The complex dynamics between these childhood friends lend the story its stakes and authenticity, which blend seamlessly with the novel’s commentary on modern racism and the malicious glorification of America’s monstrous history. 

 

I found myself engaged with the novel throughout, and I am especially impressed with McQueen’s ability to mess with the reader’s sense of time. My only qualm with the book is that it ends too soon. I would have liked another couple of chapters for the main characters to work through their experiences and their relationships with one another; as it stands, McQueen somewhat neglects the fascinating interplay between Mira, Jesse, and Celine in favor of a more traditional horror ending.

In particular, I was disappointed that Celine got killed off in service of the plot. I would have liked to have seen a final confrontation between the three as they grapple with the role race, circumstance, and outlook shaped the course of their friendship. 
 

The Run-Down: 

You will probably like When the Reckoning Comes if . . . 

·      You are looking for a solid horror book about race, slavery, and how history haunts the present

·      You want to read a book that asks questions about how we choose to remember history, especially when it comes to Southern plantations

 

You might not like When the Reckoning Comes if . . . 

·      You are hoping for a story that takes risks with its plot and premise

·      You want a book that maintains an even level of character development 

·      You want a smart, strong-willed protagonist

 

A Similar Book: 

Kindred by Octavia Butler (a spectacular book and a must-read, if you haven’t already) Similarities include:

·      A Black female main character who finds herself confronting the horrors of slavery on a Southern plantation

·      Commentary on how America’s past infects its present

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism and Child abuse

carax561's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Death, Gore, Torture, and Murder

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

herelieshenry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this is one of the best novels I’ve read in a damn long time. people complaining that it isn’t “horror enough” baffle me; horror as a genre has always had room for discussing and showing the horrors within society and in history. I don’t know why so many reviewers seem confused that a plantation wedding horror novel is rooted in discussing the grotesque history of the plantation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, and Alcohol

mary_stormageddon's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

My only issue with this book was it was formatted in a way that made it difficult for me to read. Long walls of texts without breaks make it hard for me to concentrate and keep my eyes focused. Thankfully, the chapters are shorter, which helped. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Classism

driss's review

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Police brutality