Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

254 reviews

alpaca_in_space's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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 book is an example of what makes Octavia Butler a great author. While it has darker themes, they don't feel added for the sake of shock value - instead they were clearly added to ensure the story was handling the implications of its premise. It is an incredible work of literature inviting readers into one of the darkest parts of the United States's past and to think about what lasting impacts it had into today.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Murder, Self harm, Violence, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Racism, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Rape

At the beginning of the book we see that Dana is missing an arm due to the events of the book, as time passes it is revealed that it is because

it was phased into the wall when she was sent back to her time after she killed the man trying to assault her

.

geometryprime's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Trafficking, Racial slurs, Rape, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death, Confinement, Torture, Slavery, Colonisation, Abandonment, Suicide, Self harm, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Misogyny, and Hate crime

mareltor's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

W. O. W. This book left me grappling with so many feelings. She really didn’t hold back. This book didn’t go the way I imagined it would, but it’s more impactful because of that.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

kiwichill's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Bullying, Death, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, Vomit, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Torture, Violence, Sexual violence, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexism, Excrement, Pregnancy, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Cursing

lbyars99's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Rape, Racism, Pregnancy, Grief, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Self harm, Vomit, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death

carousel's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

While I really enjoyed the plot of this book, the very direct writing style was not for me. Would definitely broadly recommend. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Grief

Minor: Self harm

_natalie_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Racial slurs, Slavery, Ableism, Racism, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Infidelity, Alcoholism, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Self harm, and Blood

sannesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is an amazing read, but this is definitely not a light read! It basically contains all the trigger warnings you can think of, so be aware of that starting this book.

Amazing writing, and a difficult, dark, thought-provoking story to read. This story is about a black woman with modern values and norms time travelling to a time of slavery in the South of America. Even though this has the sci-fi/fantasy element of time tracelling, I wouldn't consider this much as a sci-fi book. This book leans more towards historical/literary fiction. A book exploring history, humanity, society, intereacial realationships, power dynamics, racsim, sexism and trauma.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Torture, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Abandonment, Racism, Rape, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Blood, Slavery, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Murder

proceduralbob's review against another edition

challenging emotional

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Rape, and Self harm

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Suicide

froon's review against another edition

5.0

wow. wow. wow. this book is so gripping that i would go to sleep thinking about what would happen next. 

the biggest thing i want to commend is how butler plays with pity. rufus is objectively despicable⏤wishy-washy, violent, hard-headed, evil, etc, etc⏤but, regardless, it’s hard to question dana’s friendship with him. it’s complex, but it never gets to the point where dana feels foolish or frustrating. 

also, the approach to the sf elements in this book? amazing!! the second you question something dana is there, already having worked out how something will/will not work. it’s a testament to butler’s world building. she doesn’t make her character’s a crutch by dumbing them down. and this, in turn, opens the world to more emotion and character relationships. it taught me a lot about how to effectively open a novel.

also, apologies to dr. kelly who said white people always like this book the best even though butler has better books. i thought this book was great.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Rape and Suicide

Minor: Self harm