Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

107 reviews

dreamofbookspines's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Horrifying events conveyed with achingly beautiful prose. This is the first book by this author I've read and I doubt it'll be the last. I came into this with prior knowledge of reformatory academies like Nickel so it wasn't a total shock, but if you're coming in blind, prepare yourself. Maybe use a more lighthearted book as a chaser.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Child abuse, Child death, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence

joshloftin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

Moderate: Racism, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

ritaconstantino's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Child death

tigerkind's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Confinement, Child death, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Murder, Bullying, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Rape, Medical content, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Slavery, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Death

Minor: Death of parent, War, and Excrement

writingcaia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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? No

4.75

A powerful testament to the nature of evil, racism and ignorance. 
Children discarded like rotten fruit, beaten, raped, murdered for sport and no one cared. No graves, no memorials. Sad but true. The reality that humans are capable of such evil, but also, of such courage and resilience.
The writing is a bit dense and hard to get into, especially with this theme of abuse, racism, and murder. However, as soon as the decent, educated, polite, super smart, compassionate and revolutionary Elwood accidentally lands in the reformatory school things start getting heavier and harder to let go off.
What happened in the fictional The Nickel school was inspired by a true story, and we all know so many. I know I do. The catholics were responsible for so many similar abusive and murderous orphanages and schools of the type, where the most vulnerable were always the most hurt.
Racism obviously plays a huge part in the story with Elwood being so inspired by MLK and those being the times of JFK and the civil rights movement. 
It’s also a story of friendship and standing up for the other.
The finale was especially heart wrenching, with a twist I saw coming, and still made me cry.
Love will always conquer even death.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Racial slurs, and Child abuse

Moderate: Murder and Child death

Minor: Rape

reading_robyn's review

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Racial slurs, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Violence, and Physical abuse

Minor: Rape

nt_johanna's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Murder, Hate crime, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Pedophilia

Minor: Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault

lizreaderhold's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Abandonment, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Slavery, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Torture, and Xenophobia

196books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Physical abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Rape, Torture, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Bullying

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

pun1sher's review against another edition

4.25

I think I should start reading happier books

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child death and Sexual assault

corporal punishment