Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

163 reviews

stargazerfish0's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.5

The worst things that you can imagine happen in this book. I found a lot of parts hard to read, but I understand the experiment of it all. I think it's important to read the Foreward - both before and after to remind yourself - to understand its purpose. While any notes I have about the writing wouldn't do it justice, even Morrison herself admits that she doesn't know if she accomplished her goal, and I think its treatment by the Oprah Winfrey Club is a good example of that. I highly suggest that if you read this book, you read it first with the purpose of engaging with Morrison in her intention and critically analyzing why you think that it worked or did not work. I know that's a lot to ask of all readers, but this book is so full of disturbing subject matter that I think a distanced approach is best. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Death, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Emotional abuse

nessaraehall's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Animal cruelty

Minor: Abandonment

thatone2112's review against another edition

dark emotional

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Rape, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Incest, and Body shaming

Moderate: Alcoholism and Classism

Minor: Death of parent and Death

catmisae's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

If you’re wanting to read a frequently banned or challenged book but don’t want to be depressed out of your mind, I would recommend looking elsewhere. But if you’re okay with a sad read this will probably be worth your time. 

This is only the second book I’ve read by Toni Morrison, but her writing style really resonates with me. With any other author, I think the use of the Dick and Jane passage as a framing device would have come off as really ham fisted, but Morrison pulls it off. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Racism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Pedophilia

soyabeanos's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, and Rape

corriejn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Blood, Pregnancy, Excrement, and Miscarriage

skele_queen's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

Short yet Morrison never misses. The prose is just the right balance of metaphor and directness and the content is hard to stomach but important.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racism, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Incest, and Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism and Classism

rsagarin's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death of parent, Incest, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Classism, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Violence

emerentina's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Bullying, Sexual assault, Incest, Racism, Rape, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Violence, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Racial slurs, Addiction, Grief, and Mental illness

thekristinashow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

My first Toni Morrison book, but it’s definitely not my last. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Racial slurs, Incest, Pedophilia, Addiction, Miscarriage, Racism, Bullying, Physical abuse, Rape, Animal death, Alcohol, and Alcoholism