Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

76 reviews

hannahga's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Very powerful book. Started a little bit slow but kept getting better as it went on. The epilogue included something I was not expecting. Really great writing that told the story in a way that was captivating, thought provoking, and genuine. I don't tend to read stories about this time period and I feel like it's an era that is pushed into the past or not spoken/taught about transparently, so it was a great avenue to learn more about the Jim Crow era. Really glad I read (listened to) this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Cursing, and Bullying

silverrose187's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Slavery

allagainforart's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

This book explores the specific cruelties of a boys’ reformatory school (based on a real reformatory school) in the context of the civil rights movement and the systemic oppression of black people in the U.S. It’s informative and sad. I found it difficult  to follow at times with all of the different student and teacher / staff characters. I appreciated the contrast between idealistic and intellectual Elwood and pragmatic Turner, and I wish the book had spent more time with their friendship. 

Favorite parts: The MLK Jr. quotes and the way that Elwood attempts to apply / interpret them, the relationships between Elwood and his grandmother and Elwood and Turner, the way the author includes seemingly “friendly” white people who are anything but that as soon as the boys step out of line (Harper is the one who ultimately shoots Elwood) (obviously didn’t “like” this part but found the “betrayal” to be realistic since Harper was very much part of the status quo of the school)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Death, Child death, Homophobia, Medical content, Outing, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Gun violence, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, and Vomit

conspystery's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death, and Child abuse

ekmoore11's review against another edition

dark informative 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, and Confinement

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

mrsdarcylynn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Such an important piece of literature. This was a quick but gut wrenching read. I don’t know that I want to write too much more- this book is powerful and I definitely want to re-read this book at some point in the future. Brilliantly told. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Rape, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

she_reads_though's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

This book is captivating and horrific, but also a quick read. A tale that hooked me from page one and my attention really didn’t falter. The ending surprised me, shook me deep with emotion, and made me want to look up the true events this story is loosely based on. 

I can’t wait to read more Colson Whitehead. No wonder he’s been making every list and winning every prize. The writing is beautiful, the story flows, and the topics, albeit heavy, are important and do not feel overdone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, and Racial slurs

jamiekesselman's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Colonisation, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Confinement, Child abuse, Child death, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Cursing, Blood, Vomit, Violence, Slavery, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

tctimlin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Bullying, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

We all need to read Colton Whitehead so that we can understand and take responsibility for our history.

atamano's review against another edition

dark reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Pedophilia and Sexual violence