Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

There There by Tommy Orange

43 reviews

sarahmae531's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

I wish that the conflict in the book happened earlier so we could see the aftermath of it. I felt like a lot of what lead up to the powwow wasn’t totally necessary, and I would’ve preferred it be swapped out for after the powwow. The amount of characters was also hard for me to follow along with, but I did enjoy slowly seeing how they were all connected and crossed paths with each other. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Child death, Drug use, Car accident, Cursing, and Cancer

kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Fatphobia, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence

lyd41's review

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Did not enjoy the ending 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, Racism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Gore, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, Death of parent, Cursing, Child death, Child abuse, Car accident, Bullying, Blood, Alcoholism, and Addiction

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Forced institutionalization and Fatphobia

katsbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense 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

4.0

"We are the memories we don't remember, which live in us, which we feel, which make us sing and dance and pray the way we do, feelings from memories that flare and bloom unexpectedly in our lives like blood through a blanket from a wound made by a bullet fired by a man shooting us in the back for our hair, for our heads, for a bounty, or just to get rid of us."

"Don’t ever let anyone tell you what being Indian means. Too many of us died to get just a little bit of us here, right now, right in this kitchen. You, me. Every part of our people that made it is precious. You’re Indian because you’re Indian because you’re Indian."

"Only those who have lost as much as we have see the particularly nasty slice of smile on someone who thinks they're winning when they say "Get over it."

This story was told masterfully. Each of the different stories was so interesting. Some of the stories were more fleshed out than others and it wasn't until I got to the end that I felt like I understood why. Watching so many of the different threads come together was really satisfying. (And very heart-breaking at times). 

I also appreciated that this story centered urban Indigenous characters. I feel like that's a perspective that isn't often represented. I can totally understand why this book was considered for a Pulitzer. The themes it explores are are challenging and feel very real to me despite the fact that I don't share much life experience with any of the characters. Which, honestly, speaks to Orange's writing, in my opinion. 

Please note that this book deals with heavy themes. Some trigger warnings include: death, gun violence, drug content and mentions of rape. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Car accident, Colonisation, Cursing, Gaslighting, Genocide, and Rape

gmwells's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Grief, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Abortion, Cancer, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Terminal illness

massivepizzacrust's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Brilliant like a hot knife through your chest. 
This is a complex read that pieces together the stories of many characters and how they influence each other's lives. There are so many things to talk about with this one that I think you could lead a whole class on it. I fell in love with the characters and just wanted them to find peace. For some reason I went into the book thinking it was going to be more wholesome and about identity, and it was about identity but it was also about colonialism, racism and the cycle of violence. It is unflinching and only relents a little at the end. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Rape and Pregnancy

dannythestreet's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

5.0

That's the kind of book that helps you become a better person and reader, it dives deep into exploring human emotion and behaviour which is exactly the reason I read books.
Honestly, this book made me care for every single character in it (there are a lot btw). Can't wait to come back to it and read it again

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Death of parent, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

elliebell7's review against another edition

dark informative sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

i really want to like this book; it was hard to follow but felt accomplishing as all the pieces mostly were put together. the surplus of characters were tricky to keep track of and feel connected to. it was partially because of this i felt a bit frustrated by the writing style at times - i felt it was tedious and repetitive as some characters seemed excessive since they didn’t get closure in the book. it was also an extremely dark, graphic, and sad read. however i cannot say i didn’t like the book. i appreciate the wide range of native perspectives given as an insight to the culture, especially through an urban lens. and this book will definitely stick with me for a long time. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

boliverio's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Addiction

Moderate: Ableism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Rape

elsiehowie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Suicide, Racism, Mental illness, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Death, Child death, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Drug use, Cursing, and Rape

Minor: Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Physical abuse