Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

SLAY by Brittney Morris

4 reviews

cassimiranda's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

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

3.5

In this contemporary novel, we follow a young game developer as she navigates her senior year in high school. Kiera has her life planned, but she may not have fully realized the impacts of random violence, racism, and complicated domestic relationships. It isn’t precisely a coming-of-age YA story: Kiera faces challenges related to prejudice, code switching, profiling, and the Black diaspora. The characterization was pretty good, but a few characters weren’t as nuanced as I wanted. The plot is compelling and driven by modern headlines. Once you accept the very young solo game developer, the details of her game and the way it fulfills a fundamental need for safety for so many people is relatable and insightful. There were some predictable elements, and my experience reading was uneven. Sometimes I was loving it, sometimes I was rolling my eyes at the unobservant characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship and Racism

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Stalking

cinderellasbookshelf's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I loved this book so much that I’m not even sure where to start or if I can get all my thoughts through clearly. Books about video games have intrigued ever since I read Ready Player One and more recently Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. So, when I first heard about SLAY, I knew I had to read it soon. 

What starts off as a story about a young genius being behind a massively successful, but secretive online role-playing card game, quickly builds into exploring identity and discussions about race, Black culture, and the influence of video games. And all told with such an adrenaline rush as if you were there playing SLAY and seeing everything unfold. I kept turning the pages so fast wanting to know what would happen next.

Apart from Kira, I really liked how we also got to read from a couple of different characters’ perspectives. They showed how video games can provide an escape, but also be a community. How everything comes together made for such an amazing ending that I was ready to hit the restart button to read it all over again.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Domestic abuse and Murder

cookiecat73's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism

Moderate: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Cancer, Classism, Misogyny, and Terminal illness

Minor: Alcohol, Colonisation, Drug use, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Acephobia/Arophobia, Pregnancy, Police brutality, and Homophobia

literary_lyette's review against another edition

emotional funny relaxing medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Misogyny and Domestic abuse