Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

152 reviews

cowboyaj's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

4.0

I really liked this one. The way Soloman was able to turn this kind of story into the sci-fi genre was incredible. The writing quality was amazing as well! I love Aster as a character. 

However, if you do read this book I would highly encourage reading the content warnings first. It doesn't hold back on harsher topics, though I think that quality makes the book much stronger. 

My few disappointments of the book was the (romance?) and the ending. I honestly had such a difficult time discerning if Theo and Aster were romantically involved or not. Their relationship felt like it was fluctuating constantly and it just felt too surface level compared to the other themes of the book. For me, the ending wasn't satisfying. Though I don't always need a happy ending, the ending just didn't give me any relief from all the build up that happened from the beginning of the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide, Abortion, Colonisation, Murder, and Child death

Minor: Blood, Gun violence, Vomit, and Transphobia

arguhlincozzi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Police brutality, Self harm, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, War, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abortion, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, Blood, Child abuse, Excrement, and Physical abuse

oworthyfool's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

Rivers Solomon weaves a deft tale of oppression, family, and ultimately hope in the face of human evil. A timely story of how society turns on the less fortunate and intentionally marginalized, the focus nonetheless is of Aster struggling to make sense of her mother's death, the day of her own birth. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Xenophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Vomit, Dysphoria, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Violence, Child abuse, Classism, Murder, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, Confinement, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Hate crime

Moderate: Abortion, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, and Excrement

midwichtriffid's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This was a book with an interesting premise, complex characters and a world that feels bleak and hopeless. It deals with an incredible number of very dark topics and you should be very aware of any trigger warnings in this book as it does not pull any of its punches. Its hard to say that I enjoyed this book, or even that I am glad that I read it, but it was a book that needed reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Bullying, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Slavery, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Murder, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, and Violence

ireadinbed's review against another edition

hopeful reflective sad tense slow-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

5.0

Honestly this book hurt me so much saying i enjoyed it feels very disingenuous. But its beautifully written and it hit me hard, right where it counts. 

Honestly regret letting it sot on my tbr so long. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Racism, Violence, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Slavery, Sexism, and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual assault

juniperb23's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, and Slavery

historicalmaterialgirl's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

ok Black feminist sci-fi mystery! I enjoyed this a lot, the characters were compelling and I kept wanting to see what would happen with them and the social system (a clear parallel for slavery) they are actively trying to resist and escape. I love when authors take radical theory and put it into fiction without it being heady or confusing. 

But it felt like the plot was a little bit all over the place? I was confused what was going on often, I felt like I was missing something and that's on me to a degree, but I see many other people felt the same way. 

Regardless I want to read all of River Solomon's other books now!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual assault

alexashabit's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Transphobia, Racism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Eating disorder, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Abortion, Body shaming, Blood, Classism, and Murder

thequeerbibliophile's review against another edition

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

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

4.5

there were times where i felt like i was missing information. i had to reread things a couple times to understand things but even then i was a little lost. i really enjoyed it though and i appreciate the slow burn between aster and theo a lot 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence and Gun violence

Moderate: Slavery and Vomit

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, and Suicide attempt

terrestrial_river's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, Medical content, Racism, Classism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Colonisation, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Slavery, and Suicide

Moderate: Abortion, Blood, and Gun violence