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13renna's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse
cj13's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Child death, Cancer, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Minor: Suicide
summeryoder's review against another edition
5.0
"But before she died, a surgeon took samples of her tumor and put them in a petri dish. Scientists had been trying to keep human cells alive in culture for decades, but they all eventually died. Henrietta's were different: they reproduced an entire generation every twenty-four hours, and they never stopped. They became the first immortal
human cells ever grown in a laboratory."
Henrietta Lacks never knew that her tissues had been taken for research. She never found out that her cells were used to study cancer, to formulate the polio vaccine, or that they were sent into outer space.
Her family didn't find out for over 20 years and the discovery put them on a journey of confusion and pain.
"When I go to the doctor for my checkups I always say my mother was HeLa. They get all excited, tell me stuff like how her cells helped make my blood pressure medicines and antidepression pills and how all this important stuff in science happen cause of her. But they don't never explain more than just sayin, Yeah, your mother was on the moon, she been in nuclear bombs and made that polio vaccine. I really don't know how she did all that, but I guess I'm glad she did, cause that mean she helpin lots of people. I think she would like that." -Deborah Lacks as told to Rebecca Skloot
Meticulously researched, this book gives much food for thought on the topics of racism, medical ethics, grief, trauma, and more. It's not a feel-good read, but it's an important one.
Graphic: Medical trauma and Medical content
Moderate: Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Incest, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Alcoholism
beccaj11's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Racism, Medical content, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Suicide and Slavery
parasolcrafter's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, Violence, Classism, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Incest, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Ableism, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Racial slurs, Abortion, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Rape, Slavery, and Terminal illness
marioncromb's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Medical content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Classism, Racism, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death
Minor: Child death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Violence, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Slavery, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Addiction, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Mental illness, Incest, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
arttichokedipp's review against another edition
2.25
Graphic: Sexual violence, Medical content, Grief, Classism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Violence, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
msoul13's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Medical content
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, and Death
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Mental illness, and Sexism
aubreystrawberry's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Cancer, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Racism, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Sexual assault, Child death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Suicide, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Racial slurs, and Addiction
lydia_smith's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Cursing and Medical trauma
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse