Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Black Girl Unlimited by Echo  Brown

14 reviews

imskylow's review against another edition

I’m sure this book is really powerful but as I am right now, I can’t convince myself to finish it. I was dragging my feet and taking too long to finish it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Bullying, Child abuse, and Drug use

simplyv375's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

At first I was confused by the wizard references but once I caught on and realized what they representated, which imo, is change and growth I understood. I loved the writing style for this book it was beautiful and even though i'm not black i resonated with a lot of it. This book brought me through all the emotions; sadness, anger, grief, moments of happiness and those are the best books. Although I will say definitely proceed with caution and look up the trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Murder, Racism, Bullying, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault

theatre_reader123's review

challenging emotional reflective

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Bullying, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Addiction, Murder, and Incest

Minor: Classism, Homophobia, Car accident, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-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

**********trigger and spoiler alerts **********


Child molestation, colorism, wizardry, incest, alcoholism, drug addiction, hijab, privilege, darkness vs. light, multiculturalism, stereotypes, Black poverty, imposter syndrome, religious hypocrisy, puberty, sexualization of children, rape, racism and systemic racism, LGBT, Black feminism, rising up, coming of age, (in)equity, forgiveness, mental illness, grief, healing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Incest, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Homophobia

aformeracceleratedreader's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

A tough read but a very good one. I don't read magical realism (I tried one book before but didn't finish it), but I think the audiobook really helped out and made it an enjoyable read. Echo is a wonderful character, and all her friends and family added so much to the story as well. It was tough reading about their struggles and the trauma they all go through, but it was also really nice to see how the young wizards were able to lift the negative veils and help heal those who were hurting when they could. The ending set up a nice hopeful feel as well.

I initially picked up The Chosen One to read, but upon finding out it was a sequel to this, I checked this out asap off Libby and completed it first before continuing with The Chosen One. Knowing how well written (and well narrated) this was, I'm stoked to continue with The Chosen One.

Definitely read content/trigger warnings because what Echo, her family, and her friends go through is very heavy to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexual assault

cosmicwillow's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

a must read by anyone. absolutely heart-wrenching, poetic, and utterly emotional. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Mental illness, Sexual violence, and Racism

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, and Child abuse

Minor: Bullying, Death, Medical content, Pedophilia, and Suicide

leahkarge's review

dark 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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Sexual violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Rape, Addiction, and Emotional abuse

amberinbookland's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• 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: Racial slurs, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Grief, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, Alcoholism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Racism, Bullying, Addiction, Suicide, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Medical content, Hate crime, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Classism, and Alcohol

valsoceans's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

valeriabee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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 love the style of writing for this novel. The choice to use magic/wizardry in this universe was a perfect one. This story is full of difficult and traumatic topics, and the magical realism made it easier to process those moments. It reverses the use of literary devices such as metaphors and symbolism by turning them literal through the magic/wizardry. 
The book walks the line between memoir and novelization, reminding me a bit of Capote's In Cold Blood. It was stylistically reminiscent of Toni Morrison's Beloved, in particular the tone and the use of magical realism.
I loved the way the narration of this novel played with time. There were many instances in which Echo is recounting the details of various moments at the same time, as if they are happening at the same time. The style and format reminded me of cuts in movie scenes where it jumps from one scene to another by panning similar environments or movements. Or when two different conversations are being had in a movie and the scene jumps between them smoothly by connecting their words so it is as if the dialogues complete each other whilst being completely independent of one another. The fact that Brown created that visual effect in literature is astounding and incredibly powerful. 
I love this book for its style and for its content. I love that it is set up in lessons and each chapter could be a stand-alone, it could be a short story but they work together to tell Echo's story. I love that the book is not shy, the characters are not shy. It is all very real and very forward and written so beautifully. 
I found myself thinking about the ways that this book could be taught in the classroom, especially because of the way it is chaptered off and written into lessons, one wouldnt have to use the whole book (because you know how some schools are mad sensitive about the content they share with their students despite their willingness to require books about white supremacy, imperialism, and the enslavement of black people). 
One of the most appealing things about this book is that it dares to show the bad with the good, show that greatness can be achieved. It provides hope whilst remaining honest about the pain. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Islamophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, and Confinement

Minor: Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Hate crime, Ableism, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Slavery