Reviews tagging 'Car accident'

There There by Tommy Orange

47 reviews

language_loving_amateur's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.75

I feel like I would need a second read through with a character chart to understand the basics of what is happening in There There, let alone fully understand it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Colonisation, Blood, Genocide, Death, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence

Moderate: Death of parent and Domestic abuse

Minor: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Car accident, Self harm, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug use, Excrement, Rape, Suicide, Abandonment, and Fatphobia

aj_mooney's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-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

Each voice in this ensemble narrative is distinct and compelling. Tommy Orange combines history, rage, humor, and heart in this important look into urban indigenous life. I was completely engrossed in the story until its explosive ending. I would argue this is a must read for all people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Gun violence, Blood, Death, and Mass/school shootings

vicnicbasket's review

dark emotional 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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Murder, Grief, and Colonisation

Moderate: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

mirandaleighhhh's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Gun violence

cheazcakeguy'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

4.75

This was a powerful read. Tommy Orange's writing feels like there's a real weight behind it with every sentence. It forces you to slow down at times and really reflect on the characters and their stories. You experience the full range of human emotion while reading this book, and there were several truly gut-wrenching moments, especially at the end. The ending

was shocking yet inevitable, and I can't stop thinking about the incredible metaphor of the spider's web, both a home and a trap, which brought the characters together...

Highly recommend, though this isn't a light read and it will tear your heart out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Violence, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, and Gun violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Car accident, Addiction, Death of parent, Suicide, Cancer, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, and Grief

Minor: Self harm, Animal death, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Child death, Rape, Racism, and Sexual assault

marissasa's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I always love a story where we get multiples POVs, and especially if they are people whose individual narratives all connect to each other by the end. This book delivered that along with a lot of emotional and heavy truths about Native Americans' experiences in the past and in the modern time. The essays in the beginning really set the tone for the book and leave you breathless. I liked the exploration of many different themes in this book, with a big emphasis on identity, family ties, and participating in your culture. While all these things were done well and the buildup to the ending was anxiety-filled and tense as intended, the book was also on the short side which resulted in a lot of the 12 characters who were given a POV not getting as much development as they could've. Some were fleshed out and we got to dive in and hear their backstories, while others felt more like a toe dip in the pool only getting to the surface level. Regardless, this book will keep you engaged and make you feel things while learning about life for the indigenous people who live in a land that is theirs but also stolen from them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Death, Mass/school shootings, Alcoholism, Suicide, Death of parent, Excrement, Sexual assault, Child death, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Car accident, Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Domestic abuse

placeholder13's review against another edition

emotional informative 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Alcohol, Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Car accident

pferdina's review

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.0

Twelve interconnected characters illustrate modern native life in Oakland. Called the Urban Indians, these are not the reservation inhabitants nor the stereotypes of American Indians. The chapters are told from different perspectives. It was difficult for me to read the urban dialogue and to identify with the characters but I’m glad I read this.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Alcoholism, Cursing, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Addiction, and Alcohol

Minor: Pregnancy, Abortion, Cancer, Racism, Drug use, Mental illness, Car accident, and Domestic abuse

ridern2002's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Genocide, Alcoholism, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Car accident, Body shaming, Alcohol, Gun violence, Addiction, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Mass/school shootings, Grief, and Drug abuse

elleryfunk's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

3.0

If the content warnings are not too much for you then please read this book. It’s short, and easy to read (not in terms of the content but the way it flows and grabs attention). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Car accident, Drug abuse, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, and Murder