Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Dear Justyce by Nic Stone

12 reviews

taliatalksbooks's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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

3.5

Dear Justyce by Nic Stone was a powerful sequel to Dear Martin. Though shorter books, both of these novels effectively and succinctly highlight the impact of race in the US Justice System. These ramifications create a complex web of emotions, that Stone allows readers (especially those of us who are not people of color) to get a first hand glimpse into the thoughts and reasonings of someone in these positions. This book does a great job communicating the fear, distrust, and discomfort associated with our justice system, and gives readers a new outlook, even if they’re not from areas like the setting of this book. I really loved the character development and writing of this book, and I think the pair are absolutely must reads. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, and Racism

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.5

Sad yet hopeful. This book allows us to see what the world could look like, if we gave a damn. It provides a realistic look into the school to prison pipeline and so beautifully articulates the why for young men & women who get caught up in illegal activities when they know they shouldn’t. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Cultural appropriation, Death, Bullying, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Grief, Classism, Confinement, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Addiction, Gun violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism

caterina's review

emotional hopeful 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

4.0

A strong sequel following a character from the first book who had much less support, and yet this book too is hopeful, full of lovable characters, and even more than the first imagines a better world. If there's ever a surprise book #3, I'm reading it too!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, and Confinement

Minor: Domestic abuse and Death

ajason06's review

challenging emotional reflective 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

I was thoroughly excited for Nic Stone's sequel to Dear Martin. 

My favorite aspect of the book was the camaraderie of the support within the community. This is a powerful realization and an important thing to remember. Even this book's themes are heavy and hard to deal with. Everyone has the right to be heard. I really appreciated the two colliding stories (the good and the bad) of Quan and Justyce and how they affected them both differently.

Great follow up to Dear Martin  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

travelseatsreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I finished Dear Martin and immediately picked up Dear Justyce as I did not want to leave any of the characters behind. Sometimes a sequel doesn't live up to the first in a series but Dear Justyce sure does that and so much more.

Continuing on the theme of racial prejudice and oppression, Dear Justyce looks further at the characters of Justyce and Quan. While Stone shows the struggles that the boys face she doesn't try to portray them as either all good or all bad and honestly shows both the good and bad sides to their characters.

The last section where Stone discusses the two books adds so much, I'd recommend if you usually skip afterwards to give the time to this one, it's worth it.

A powerful, tense yet hopeful follow up to Dear Martin. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

mandi4886's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Gaslighting, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Addiction, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, and Child abuse

Minor: Abandonment, Racial slurs, and Pregnancy

brandie_abbie19's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Racism, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Violence

rayraymakay's review

challenging dark hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.75

Everything Nic Stone produces is absolutely remarkable and Dear Justyce is no exception. You feel for the character the entirety of the book and want him to succeed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality

Moderate: Racism, Addiction, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Racial slurs

jojo_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, and Confinement

Minor: Cancer, Death, and Racial slurs

bookswithmybulldog's review

hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence