Reviews tagging 'Torture'

The Trees by Percival Everett

14 reviews

mandareads222's review against another edition

challenging dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Torture, and Blood

Minor: War, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

queenoftheharpies's review

funny fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Blood, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Body horror, Death, Racial slurs, and Torture

disguisedposer's review

challenging dark funny mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Murder, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Physical abuse, Gore, Racial slurs, Blood, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Gun violence, and Body horror

mattyvreads's review

dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Truly one of the most exciting and promising premises I have ever encountered. What a cool idea for a book, to say the least. Brilliant. 

I am not sure, overall, that the book delivered on its promising premise, or that the novel was wholly effective for me. Parts, I loved. Other parts really detracted and/or distracted from the story.

What worked for me: the book kept me guessing, with lots of twists and turns. Eventually those turns became somewhat predictable or formulaic, but the plot was like a giant boulder thundering downhill, impossible to stop.

For that reason, it was effective that the book didn’t have a definite conclusion; it ended, in fact, with a question.

Very clever, in my humble opinion. Mostly, the pacing really worked for me. It was cool to see the different character point of views. 

What did not work for me: The book was mostly dialogue, and the dialogue was completely forced. There were attempted jokes that ended a majority of the chapters, that did not land for me. Stuff like “you order the chicken fried steak, and I’ll stick to my salad.” Like… okay….

There were mild anti-Asian sentiments, a brief (seemingly) anti-sex work scene, misogynistic references, a borderline transphobic dialogue exchange, and many many many fatphobic exchanges. Basically the punchline to a majority of the opening chapters. Even though many readers say it is a satire of American racism, many of those quips and insults come from the protagonists of the story (and the people we are rooting for.) It left a bad taste in my mouth.

Also, the Trump stuff didn’t work for me. He’s already a buffoon, so it didn’t feel like satire. It just felt like fan fiction.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Torture, Body horror, Hate crime, and Violence

Minor: Fatphobia and Transphobia

rachaelreadsalot's review

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Hate crime, Stalking, Racism, and Torture

Minor: Slavery and Police brutality

ygoliver's review

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Racial slurs

d0lly's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Gore, Murder, Racial slurs, and Racism

dr_aimz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Death, Violence, Murder, Blood, Torture, and Racial slurs

keirahelena_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Racism, and Racial slurs

emroll's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racism, Xenophobia, Torture, Violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Slavery