Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

275 reviews

annasorr's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Octavia Butler is absolutely brilliant. The novel is deceptively straightforward, choosing to eschew usual sci-fi plot jargon to get straight to the point. It’s tense, compact, dark, and philosophical— basically everything this novel needs to be to tell this story effectively and truthfully, lingering in darkness without stewing in it longer than necessary. Then, when the novel reaches its necessary conclusion, it leaves reader to make sense of Dana’s experiences, bringing history ever closer to the present. Certainly a difficult read, but also a riveting one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

andreabey's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

hylian_narwhal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Rape, Self harm, and Suicide

hannah_and_her_stories's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Addiction, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Classism

jgrant512's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Minor: Addiction, Death, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

anxiousshorebird's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

Speculative historical fiction perfected. This was a gripping read and a sobering window into the shameful past of the U.S. It was also inspirational and heart warming. I think this should be required reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Minor: Rape

st_ella_r's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

elliotyork's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Self harm and Sexism

Minor: Animal cruelty

bluelilyblue's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual violence, and Suicide

sabripolin's review against another edition

reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

Totally transported (pun not intended…) by the vivid imagery of Dana’s experience in two time periods, but mostly by the complex, conflicting emotions and ethical dilemmas she encounters and how to manage situations in a period-appropriate manner. 

Minus points (?) for all characters’ lack of FREAKING OUT and Dana’s seemingly emotionless disposition all throughout. We also don’t really get a “why” to why this all happened or what triggered her first transportation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury