Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

20 reviews

justmys's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Racism, Rape, Vomit, Death, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Violence, Classism, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Murder, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Child death, and Death of parent

Minor: Excrement, Incest, Fatphobia, and Animal death

dblue236's review

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

Trigger warnings: Sexual assault, racism, domestic violence. 

This was one of the best books I've read so far this year, for a number of reasons. I loved the setting and the beautiful descriptions of the time frame and rural Kentucky. The characters were well rounded and felt real, and the historical aspect of it that was clearly very thoroughly researched really added depth to the story. This was the first book I've read by this author, and if it was any indication, I definitely need to seek out more of her work. I cannot recommend this highly enough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Child death, Bullying, Death, Racism, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Violence, Animal cruelty, Grief, Medical content, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Suicide

Minor: Abandonment, Incest, Abortion, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

larissakoch's review

adventurous challenging emotional informative sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Death, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Racism, Suicide, Sexual assault, and Child death

knkoch's review

dark sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

I have mixed feelings on this one. I do think that stories about the impoverished, underserved communities in the Appalachian mountains aren't told enough. The miner's union and government outreach library program plots were interesting and informative. However, there was a high misery quotient here. And the depiction of the discrimination against the white main character (who has bluish skin due to an inherited medical condition) felt overdone, as if wanting to appropriate the experience of anti-black racism. It seems like a pack horse librarian's job was plenty interesting and challenging on its own without that added element. I guess it felt like the author was building on her considerable research into 1930s Kentucky and creating a plot with more wishful thinking and

highly specious romance

than I could buy into. I thought Demon Copperhead, set during the opiod crisis, was a more nuanced depiction of Appalachian communities and the entrenched issues they grapple with. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Physical abuse, Bullying, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Rape, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Racism

mamacharvon's review

adventurous emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Medical trauma, and Classism

nishidake's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Xenophobia, Rape, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Terminal illness, Vomit, Bullying, Child death, Classism, and Racism

verna's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Bullying, Violence, Abortion, Alcohol, Racism, Death, Terminal illness, Suicide, Stalking, Physical abuse, Medical content, Vomit, and Religious bigotry

ash_oak_crafts's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

 Troublesome Creek is certainly facing a lot of troubles in this harrowing, yet hopeful tale. I love Cussy. She reminds me of Anne of Green Gables trapped in a worse place and instead of carrot orange hair, her skin is blue. Cussy faces terrible circumstances (*Trigger Warning* for sexual assault, stalking, starvation, domestic violence, child/infant death, medical testing, racism with use of the N word and religious persecution) and remains steadfast in her place as a pack horse librarian. She is the kind of heroine that endures, she is your Jane Eyres, your Annes and whatever other fictitious ladies you think as possessing a strong inner strength. I was hoping this would be a lighter book, but I am glad that I took the time to read this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Stalking, Child death, Sexual assault, Rape, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Racism

kyrstin_p1989's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense slow-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

3.5

I usually love historical fiction but this one took so long to get going that I struggled a lot at first. It didn’t really take off for me until about 100 pages in which is nearly halfway, and that’s why I didn’t rate it higher. The second half of the book kept me reading and I didn’t want to put it down. The historical aspects of the KY Pack Horse program and the blue people of Kentucky were fascinating as a native Kentuckian, especially because I had never heard of the former prior to reading this book. The story is sad and tells of the hardships of rural, Appalachian life in the 1930’s and 40’s with candor and grace. It definitely makes you appreciate the technological, medical, and social advancements we’ve made and just how hardy a people the folks from mining country truly are. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Abandonment, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Vomit, Stalking, Sexual violence, Abortion, Addiction, Body horror, Violence, Body shaming, Bullying, Grief, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicide

mels_reading_log's review

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

This story takes place in the mountains of Kentucky in 1936 and follows the life of a Pack Horse Librarian who takes books to those without access. She is also one of the historic blue people of Kentucky, so she deals with all of the disrespect and ignorance that goes along with 1930’s racist southern small town life. She values reading and education and knows that it is important for her patrons, especially the children, to be able to make a better life for themselves. As a former school social worker and someone who grew up in a small town in the south, I related to so much about her mission to help those in need and care and love on those you encounter. I’m about to start the sequel right now!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Chronic illness, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Bullying, Classism, Death, and Stalking

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide