Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson

16 reviews

wanderlust_romance's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful informative fast-paced

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

4.5

You should read this book. My Government Means to Kill Me was a darkly comedic, witty, insightful, sexy, reflective, and deviously smart coming of age story that follows Trey as he creates a new life for himself after moving from Indianapolis to New York City in the 80s. Trey grows as a character through all of his varied interactions and relationships in bathhouses and bougie parties, with his sex worker roommate, neighbors, activists, queer elders, amidst the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic. This was the first book I’ve read that directly and insightfully addressed how AIDS ravaged the LGBTQIA community while also emphasizing the importance of community care and activism. The title of the book initially appears in the first few chapters, but it takes on heightened meaning In “Lesson 12: Learn How to Take a Punch,” when ACT UP! volunteers are put through a test to determine who among them is ready to stand on the front lines of a planned direct action. It was perhaps the most meaningful and timely message I took away from the book.

“You must remember that your victory comes from unmasking the senseless brutality that the government chooses to sanction against you, a collection of nonviolent demonstrators. The point is to let your bruised and bloodied bodies serve as evidence that the government means to kill you, if you so much as protest its bigoted policies.”

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racism, Child death, Violence, Death, Drug use, Grief, and Racial slurs

felishacb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Child death, Death, Homophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Police brutality, Ableism, Medical content, Grief, Racial slurs, and Alcohol

rideauriverreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism

brynalexa's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I think I would have engaged more with this book in print. The story is great and it’s well researched but it came off a bit textbook-like at times. It didn’t quite feel wrapped up at the end, although the main character came into his own wonderfully. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Medical content, Rape, Terminal illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, Homophobia, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Child death, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, and Stalking

jaynevam's review

adventurous emotional funny informative fast-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Murder, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Violence

naddl0r's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad 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'm giving this 5 stars because everything I’ve read was absolutely amazing BUT this book is in desperate need of an epilogue because it ends on a cliffhanger of the sorts where you feel like a chapter is missing. It’s so abrupt, the story just isn’t over. Also- and this is highly subjective- some might say it lacks a little bit of emotion. And I can see it but disagree. I think an overly emotional, gut- wrenching, hightlighting-the-sad-and terrible-parts-of-AIDS writing style would do this particular story no good. 
I loved this book and can see myself re-reading it at some point. Well done, Rasheed Newson! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Violence, Murder, Stalking, Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Outing, Pandemic/Epidemic, Child death, Death, Sexual assault, Racism, Cancer, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Homophobia, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Terminal illness

mattyvreads's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Enthralling, heartbreaking, thought-provoking, and raw. I loved this book from start to finish. One of my favorite books I have read this year.

Plus there are really sexy parts. I cannot tell a lie.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Slavery, Child death, and Sexual assault

lenaschrn's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Police brutality, Drug use, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, and Terminal illness

danaslitlist's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

"A childhood spent attending church services, and the first time I ever felt the Word touch me was during a sermon from Dorothy Cotton delivered in Larry Kramer's bedroom. I felt like I'd finally reached a long sought destination and tasted the purest water (....) Until Dorothy removed the scales from my eyes, I'd had one hundred ways of asking one thing: Why did I feel hunted in my homeland? Because my government means to kill me. Amen! Amen and glory hallelujah! At last, I could explain the force shaping my existence."

 
I commend Rasheed Newson for such an impactful, creative and bold debut that is My Government Means to Kill Me. The decision to make this historical fiction read as an autobiography was a choice that could've not worked, but not only did it enhance the reading experience, I fully believe that it was one of the only ways to properly tell Trey's story effectively. When the queer community talks about the Pride, when we talk about queer history and activism, we are talking about the people like the ones in this book. The focus on intersectionality between race, gender, and sexuality, the conversations about activism and how it changes with time, and the sheer emotional impact of the topic of the AIDs epidemic make for a powerful history lesson of how much we owe to the older queer generation and the allies who fought for us. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Racism, Homophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Classism, and Death

notcharlottete's review

emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Sexual content, Violence, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Racism, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, and Death

Moderate: Child death, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault