Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

アーモンド by Won-pyung Sohn

17 reviews

dweoport's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

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I LOVED Almond. Sohn explores friendship, love, and grief in such a unique way, making me ponder about what it means to simply know someone as opposed to understanding them. For Yunjae, a boy who is trying his hardest to make the people around him happy, without even really understanding what that means for himself, to give others the benefit of the doubt that he never receives, love and friendship in the most unlikely circumstances makes so much sense. I loved the characters, I loved the dialogue between them, and I loved the silly and sad situations that led them to becoming who they are and who they will be in the future. Just a wonderful book that prompts a lot of introspection into what it means to be a human and the importance of second chances.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Medical content

Minor: Grief

chlschn's review against another edition

3.75

challenging tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder

shnez's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Blood, Death of parent

inmasanzlo's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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: Yes

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2 words: read it!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Violence, Murder

ciarag88's review against another edition

4.0

emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty, Violence, Toxic friendship

This book is so sweet and heartwarming. I had heard good reviews on this book and I am so glad I read it as I had never read a book such as this before. I love how it is fast paced and is written in short chapters. Beautifully translated, did not lose its meaning.

the ending is a bit too perfect, but it is a young adult book. The violent scene with Gon came out of nowhere also, but I am glad his mother woke up to see him evolved as she always wanted him to be

navayiota's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Yet another banger. I wish I had known earlier that there are so many great Korean authors, and I hope others won't make the same mistake as me and wait so long to explore Korean literature. I can easily see this becoming a modern classic, and it will be completely justified. Almond is a flawless exploration of disability in society, and a character study of a boy unable to feel emotions. This book had me gasping, tearing up and giggling.. highly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship

Minor: Gun violence

le_mur's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Abandonment

Minor: Gun violence

hannahshf's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Violence

icarusandthesun's review against another edition

4.5

emotional 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: Yes

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so. beautiful. great heavens.
first of all, the motive behind this book is absolutely heartwarming and i am so in love with the characters. they were unique and seething with beauty and life. especially yunjae was deeply relatable for me, and i thought it was an absolute treat to explore his brain and how he perceives things. it was so nice to read about loss and feelings from an objective point of view.
i'm also a huge fan of short chapters, since they just keep me going, which this one undoubtedly did. the relationship dynamics were really nice as well, adventurous and new.
the only thing i didn't quite like was the love interest. her character is fine and has some depth, however yunjae falling for her so easily felt strangely out of character and i thought it ruined the idyll of his character a little bit. the love interest simply wasn't necessary in my opinion.
the ending totally made up for that though. it was soooo sad and satisfying. such a gracious book.

:) my fav quote:

so i don't know why people laugh or cry. joy, sorrow, love, fear—all these things are vague ideas to me. the words "emotion" and "empathy" are just meaningless letters in print.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Alcohol

valerie23's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail