Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

79 reviews

mmefish's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad slow-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

3.25

Thinking about the book a few months later: a very forgettable read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Animal death, Racism, and Animal cruelty

helsbelle's review against another edition

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty

scruffie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

Heavy book. My first Gyasi read and I have to admit that I really liked the writing style: clearly literary, but also direct. I really appreciated the book's nuanced view on depression and addiction, the focus on understanding, not judging.

I also liked the book's perspective on the internal conflicts people who have been brought up in a religious setting face, and in particular how that interacts with the scientific point of view. Coming from a similar place myself I found that part very relatable.

Time to look for Gyasi's other books :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Child death, and Sexism

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Violence

Minor: Vomit

pollyhall's review against another edition

Couldn't relate to characters in story.<Object to animals used for medical testing>

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Mental illness

fromstephspages's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

This book was… just, wow… So let me try to explain what I just experienced and loved: Gifty’s depth, introspection, and her raw experience with her family. Her flaws, vulnerability, and honesty. Her questions and interwoven research and statistics. Her  personal exploration of science and religion. Everything! The writing just pulls you in and not only was I left not wanting to put this down but also thinking about the story throughout the day. I found myself relating more than I’m comfortable admitting and I legit got goosebumps at the end of the book. This might be my favorite book of the year. 

Find me on IG @bookrecswithsteph

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, and Vomit

sadiereadthat's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Mental illness

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Abandonment

emzireads's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Death

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Animal cruelty, and Racism

niniwa's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Death

Moderate: Animal cruelty

linesiunderline's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-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

Some books display their brilliance to you almost immediately. Transcendent Kingdom is a book that reveals its brilliance slowly, quietly, until by the end you are left knowing that there is so much to this work that you have seen only some of its beauties, and even so, you are amazed.

I am only beginning to appreciate all of the things that are breathtaking about this book, that I know will linger with me, becoming part of me and how I see the world. You’re left with more questions than answers. Invitations to consider big things and small and the story of your own life.

Gifty will feel as real to you as anyone you’ve ever known. Her humanity and complexity may be the most impressive thing about this book. It’s certainly one of the most memorable. She is the heart of the novel.

Transcendent Kingdom will be one of my top reads of this year. I cannot recommend it highly enough and also have to praise Bahni Turpin’s stellar audio performance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, and Vomit

Minor: Excrement, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Sexual content

shikha20's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Racism, and Suicide attempt