Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam

4 reviews

zombiezami's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Violence, Racism, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Cursing, and Classism

Minor: Death of parent, Death, Medical content, and Slavery

thewordsdevourer's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

reading this book was an experience. punching the air is neither too plot- nor character-driven - amal and the tide of his days and life are instead driven along by the oppressive system - but the emotions it's able to evoke from the reader are sth else.

zoboi and salaam masterfully use the verse form to their advantage, visually depicting the oppressiveness and sense of being trapped deeply felt by amal and many black boys and men everywhere under the american prison industrial complex. how the system and the white ppl who both consciously and inadvertently uphold it are illustrated w/ nuance and a keen eye, their ignorance and racism so ingrained they arent even aware of the power of their words or actions, and all of it maddening esp in the juvie setting. this book's also abt art and its power, and the structure and incorporation of drawing and many visual elements rly complement the aforementioned themes. 

tbh the novel's content and msg arent anything unfamiliar, but i think what truly makes it unique is the whole absorbing experience the one feels reading it. the emotions it evokes are near total, and one feels strongly connected to amal and what he's going thru. perhaps the fact that salaam himself has been thru the very same thing as amal has sth to do w/ it, and he's able to channel it all very well here. 

overall, this is a very emotionally absorbing and powerful book. it's not rly plot-heavy but its form and structure are surprisingly effective and impactful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Confinement, and Police brutality

Moderate: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence

knifewifestan's review

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Racism, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

brookey8888's review

dark emotional hopeful informative 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

Wow was very good. I honestly had no clue what this was about when I picked it up, I just recognized the author. This is such an important story that everyone should read. It does discuss hard, but important topics so be prepared. Some of the poems(?) gave me goosebumps. The reason it’s a 4.5 is because it did take me a while to get used to the verse and kind of connect with the story, but once I did I couldn’t put this down. Highly recommend! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Confinement, Racism, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Hate crime