Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

23 reviews

alisonannk's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Biphobia, Drug use, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Outing, Abandonment, Lesbophobia, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Toxic friendship

escapismforlife's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This was a beautiful prose book that covers many essential topics.  I'm glad I finally got to be able to finish it up. But also sad this young adult self discovery  book has to end. I can't  wait to see whatever  Dean Atta comes out with  next. Whenever it comes  out.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Abandonment, Bullying, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

dalmavatai's review

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Homophobia

taylorsevalia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Abandonment

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Lesbophobia, Hate crime, Drug use, Cultural appropriation, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Animal cruelty, Slavery, and Sexual violence

lindseyhall44's review

emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

A moving portrayal of sexuality, race, indentity, and love, Black Flamingo is a story I will never forget.
This beautiful novel-in verse- wraps around your heart and doesn’t let go.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Violence, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexual violence, Abandonment, and Bullying

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

4.25

empathetic, affirming, revelatory, and hopeful, the black flamingo--despite its many doses of oft unpleasant reality--is a comforting book that i wish everyone would read.

ive never read anything like it before: a novel in verse, the poems suffused w/ simple yet lyrical beauty, filled w/ great illustrations, w/ the page breaks used to maximum effect, and all the elements work so well tgt still. i also greatly enjoy the writing: certain lines, phrases, words, and the imagery they conjure make me simply marvel at their cleverness, insight, or emotional impact.

this book honestly hits close to home w/ the identity crises, and the author's portrayal + exploration of the intersectionality in terms of race and gender from a mixed-race black perspective is sth to behold; the microaggressions and seemingly 'simple' remarks or actions carry such weight and illustrate the systemic level of the problems explored. though the journey certainly isnt easy, all the different parts of michael's identity come to form a cohesive whole who, by the book's end, knows and loves enough to stand up for himself and similar others.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Racism

Moderate: Abandonment and Bullying

Minor: Violence

asourceoffiction's review

emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

Everything about this book is beautiful. The poetry and illustrations, the development of Michael's character and the way he learns to live with his truth. The wonderful support from some members of his family, and how he doesn't let the unhappy moments grind him down. The forgiveness he is able to show and how he grows in confidence as he finds his identity. And most beautiful of all, his stunning performance at the book's conclusion.

It's a wonderful expression of freedom and identity, and something I think everyone should read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Homophobia, Violence, and Abandonment

brookey8888's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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? Yes

4.0

 really enjoyed this! I really like the poetry/verse way it was written. I liked the characters and the growth they went through finding themselves. I really appreciated the topics discussed. I can’t speak for them because I luckily haven’t dealt/experienced these topics. I would definitely recommend this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Dysphoria, Grief, Lesbophobia, Outing, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship

lucystolethesky's review

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Bullying, Alcohol, and Drug use

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and Abandonment

Minor: Child abuse

readandfindout's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

Style/writing: 4.5 stars
Themes: 4.5 stars
Characters: 4 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Transphobia

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Bullying, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Violence

Minor: Child abuse, Lesbophobia, Suicide, and Adult/minor relationship