Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

6 reviews

calamitydane's review

dark emotional mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I was in love from the jump. This is a wonderful mystery and an honest depiction of a black girl growing up in a mostly white southern town. I spent the whole time trying to guess who could have done it. There were so many potentials with good evidence to support them. I was texting my partner with guesses and reasons every five minutes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Physical abuse, Body horror, Animal death, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Violence, Police brutality, Hate crime, Murder, and Racism

mynameisrebecca's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Murder, and Child death

Moderate: Police brutality and Bullying

Minor: Rape

laguerrelewis's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

Jackal was a powerful read, offering both an engaging thriller tale and a rumination on Black womanhood in predominantly white spaces. Adams’ writing is dripping in atmosphere, and Liz is a protagonist I cared for immensely. The mystery elements were surprising and kept me on my toes until its very satisfying conclusion, and the tension really builds in a way that keeps pages turning while still allowing for reflection and rumination. A perfect read for a chilly Halloween!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Body horror, Alcohol, Gore, Blood, Child death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Animal death, Murder, Police brutality, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Vomit, Sexual content, and Rape

edgaranjapoe's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Child death, and Racism

Moderate: Alcohol, Torture, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Medical content, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Vomit, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Cursing, Murder, Bullying, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Excrement, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Confinement, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Body shaming, Hate crime, and Sexual assault

odylics's review

dark emotional mysterious 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

If you have ever heard "if you see something in the woods, no you didn't" or "if something calls your name, ignore it" OR if you like spooky books, Appalachian myths, murder mysteries, and honest looks at race and class... This book is for you. I have never read a book quite like this or fell for a protagonist quite like Liz. 

Please be sure to check the TWs. This book was uncomfortable and sad and scary, but necessary for the horror/thriller space. It centers around Johnstown, PA and the long reach of the Johnstown Flood, which I had never heard of before despite it resulting in the deaths of 2,208 people, with much of the blame placed at the feet of Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and and Andrew Mellon. The flood left physical lines of separation between classes and races in Johnstown, all connected by the woods and the disappearance of the many young Black girls at the heart of this story.

5/5 stars!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, Medical content, Murder, Animal death, Child death, Hate crime, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Police brutality, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Gore, and Racism

remie's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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: Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Gore, Racism, Murder, Body horror, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, and Hate crime

Moderate: Police brutality

Minor: Alcohol and Eating disorder