Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

8 reviews

multiplyoctopi's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual assault, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Dementia, Death of parent, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Pedophilia, Vomit, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Minor: Police brutality, Alcoholism, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity

art_books_chemistry's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual violence, Blood, Child death, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Racism, and Rape

Minor: Alcoholism, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, and Adult/minor relationship

ugh1ife's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.25

This book was a ride! First thing to know, these women are SOUTHERN. I was cringing a lot at the blatant classicism/racism/misogyny/etc. But the book did a decent job at criticizing it. AND BOY does the black community get the short end of the stick. Also, this book does kind of fall into the trope of having a black character (Mrs. Greene) do the brunt of the work especially in the aftermath. She also has to be the one to point out the obvious instances of prejudice which the other characters acknowledge in the moment but don’t really do anything about it?

At the end they admit that the black community was hurt the most but it’s in passing. And then that’s it. Like I think it’s meant to reflect that these characters are prejudiced and stuff, as a lot of rich suburb southerners are. There is also graphic violence depicted against black characters and straight up racism. So, this particular aspect fell short for me. Also, I am not black so I can only say the issues that I found with it

All the characters are extremely flawed, and so much of it had me furious (especially the husbands). It was also a deep dive into what being a “housewife” is really like and the learned helplessness of these women who have/had accepted their roles. I really think this book is for the parents: it does a great job at detailing the common worries that parents experience and their short comings. 

A short summary of the book?: a group of southern ladies form a book club that follows true crime novels. Patricia, a typical housewife in a strained marriage, befriends a newcomer to their tight night community. However, she begins to notice strange things happening and becomes increasingly convinced that their little home is in danger. 

The sexual content was a bit hard to get through, but I understand why it was there so I don’t really fault the book on it. Just be warned! 

SO SO SO MANY TRIGGER WARNINGS. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Gore, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Body horror, Gaslighting, Violence, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Blood, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Dementia, Drug abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

hea2109's review against another edition

adventurous 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

5.0

I loved how this book used a dark, horror theme to discuss and portray the strength of seemingly “weak” women, especially in numbers. This book really focuses on the power of community and having each other’s backs, even when it goes against the status quo or is inconvenient. I tore through it in less than a week. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Rape, and Violence

Minor: Police brutality

odrib's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

alycatlovesbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence

ectoplasmjames's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Self harm, Racism, and Murder

Minor: Police brutality, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Pedophilia

bebidocrimes's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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

I'm officially obsessed with Grady Hendrix, if I wasn't already after I first read My Best Friend's Exorcism. This one focuses more on housewives and how they deal with all their problems quietly and often without their husbands' support. Fantastically written, with a token cryptic ending that had me seeing it like a movie.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Drug use, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Dementia, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Police brutality, and Racism