Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard by Echo  Brown

7 reviews

amradio's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

Mind the trigger warnings because I did not look them up so some of the parts in the book caught me off guard even though you could kind of feel them coming

I appreciate how the book uses magic in a realistic type of way which is unique to the kinds of books I normally read

The book definitely doesn't disappoint in making everything come together and addressing just about any and everything

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Pedophilia, and Misogyny

Moderate: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Lesbophobia, Islamophobia, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Death, Addiction, and Xenophobia

theatre_reader123's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Bullying, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Addiction, Murder, and Incest

Minor: Classism, Homophobia, Car accident, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-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 and spoiler alerts **********


Child molestation, colorism, wizardry, incest, alcoholism, drug addiction, hijab, privilege, darkness vs. light, multiculturalism, stereotypes, Black poverty, imposter syndrome, religious hypocrisy, puberty, sexualization of children, rape, racism and systemic racism, LGBT, Black feminism, rising up, coming of age, (in)equity, forgiveness, mental illness, grief, healing

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Incest, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Homophobia

mengzhenreads's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.5

I really loved the writing style of this book, and I found it absolutely heartbreaking but also just so filled with layers and complexity, especially with all the symbolism and metaphors that the author used with magic. I could definitely see myself writing an essay analyzing and picking apart all of the choices the author made. Super smart and super emotional, this also had me trying not to cry at Ikea and failing while reading this.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Addiction

Minor: Sexism and Homophobia

valeriabee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

I love the style of writing for this novel. The choice to use magic/wizardry in this universe was a perfect one. This story is full of difficult and traumatic topics, and the magical realism made it easier to process those moments. It reverses the use of literary devices such as metaphors and symbolism by turning them literal through the magic/wizardry. 
The book walks the line between memoir and novelization, reminding me a bit of Capote's In Cold Blood. It was stylistically reminiscent of Toni Morrison's Beloved, in particular the tone and the use of magical realism.
I loved the way the narration of this novel played with time. There were many instances in which Echo is recounting the details of various moments at the same time, as if they are happening at the same time. The style and format reminded me of cuts in movie scenes where it jumps from one scene to another by panning similar environments or movements. Or when two different conversations are being had in a movie and the scene jumps between them smoothly by connecting their words so it is as if the dialogues complete each other whilst being completely independent of one another. The fact that Brown created that visual effect in literature is astounding and incredibly powerful. 
I love this book for its style and for its content. I love that it is set up in lessons and each chapter could be a stand-alone, it could be a short story but they work together to tell Echo's story. I love that the book is not shy, the characters are not shy. It is all very real and very forward and written so beautifully. 
I found myself thinking about the ways that this book could be taught in the classroom, especially because of the way it is chaptered off and written into lessons, one wouldnt have to use the whole book (because you know how some schools are mad sensitive about the content they share with their students despite their willingness to require books about white supremacy, imperialism, and the enslavement of black people). 
One of the most appealing things about this book is that it dares to show the bad with the good, show that greatness can be achieved. It provides hope whilst remaining honest about the pain. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Islamophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, and Confinement

Minor: Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Hate crime, Ableism, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Slavery

locdbooktician's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful informative sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Wow! This book was so challenging and covered so much. The lessons that were in each chapter were vital to survival and generational trauma. Learning about the plight of the black woman and it being overshadow by black men enraged me while reading this book. The sexual violence was difficult to listen to in this books listening to the author’s end remote at the end of the book broken and had me crying big girl tears. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence

tanzreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

FUCK. This book was everything. Echo Brown skillfully reached inside of me and performed a miracle with every single lesson of wizard training. And taught me so, so much.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Sexual violence, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Bullying, and Alcoholism