Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Heads of the Colored People by Nafissa Thompson-Spires

6 reviews

2treads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The ways in which Spires tackles the issues of race, class and preferences here aren't new but there is a certain spin that she has brought to each character and their story which makes them fresh and lends a certain resonance as the reader interacts with and responds to each person and their individuality within their environment. She is allowing her characters to be themselves in all their beauty, with all their flaws, either reckoning with or accepting themselves as they are.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Grief, Body shaming, Bullying, Self harm, Stalking, and Police brutality

madisonn's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Self harm, Bullying, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Racism, Mental illness, Body shaming, and Death

crazytourists_books's review

emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories (some of them connected, in one way or another). 
Fresh, vivid, nicely written, with well.wotked out characters, about the experience of being black and a whole lot of other things; from family and work relationdiships, trauma, bullying, ableism and being disabled, social media, suicide...
My favourite stories were the first (that shares its title with the collection) and the last; they both broke my heart...

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Murder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Death, Police brutality, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

madelinequinne's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. It was very informative about the lives of black people in this day and age, and I feel like I learned a lot from it. I definitely recommend to anyone interested in reading about the experiences of black people in the modern world

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Mental illness, Police brutality, Suicide, Body shaming, Bullying, Grief, Hate crime, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Chronic illness, Classism, Gun violence, Infidelity, Child abuse, Child death, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

readerette's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.5

I felt these were beautiful, human stories about the intersection of identity. They are mostly about daily suffering and trials, but not overly dark except perhaps the final story on the collection.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief and Mental illness

Minor: Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence

wordsbyclaire's review against another edition

dark funny sad tense

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism and Grief

Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, and Gun violence