Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

94 reviews

jessalex610's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

4.5

Apparently this only took me two days to finish, but it felt so much longer than that. This is a hard hard read. Whitehead has such a good way with words and Griff’s story will always stick with me. There’s just something about the way he painted the scene, described the surroundings, the desperation for a second chance. Oh i’m gonna cry again.  It’s a fictional story, but the inspiration is all too real. The Dozier School, the horrid, putrid racism of Jim Crow, the corrupt predators in power who help keep each other in power. To think that similar stories actually exist in real life…it’s almost too much to think about. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

maxgardner's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

Definitely one of my favorite books of the year. Colson Whitehead gives us well developed and lovable characters, especially in Elwood and Turner, and his writing style strikes a perfect balance between minimalism and flourish. This is a story about the tension between idealism and realism (cynicism/pessimism) set in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, specifically in a prison for young men that's officially branded as a reform school. Through Elwood's journey at Nickel, Whitehead explores themes of racism, justice, trauma, and survival. Also has one of the most subtle but gut-punching endings I've read in a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Torture, Violence, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Hate crime, Rape, and Racism

annabulkowski's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Physical abuse, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Child death, Violence, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Racism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Rape, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Gun violence, Death, Confinement, Classism, and Alcohol

maralvarez's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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

Moderate: Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse

skeltzer's review against another edition

dark sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Torture, Physical abuse, and Violence

Minor: Sexual assault

jagodajagg's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Blood, Child death, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Slavery, Sexual assault, and Torture

minareadsa19e1's review against another edition

challenging dark sad

• 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

scarlettiscrying's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Torture, Racism, Child abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Confinement

Minor: Sexual assault and Racial slurs

hannahga's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad 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? No

4.0

Very powerful book. Started a little bit slow but kept getting better as it went on. The epilogue included something I was not expecting. Really great writing that told the story in a way that was captivating, thought provoking, and genuine. I don't tend to read stories about this time period and I feel like it's an era that is pushed into the past or not spoken/taught about transparently, so it was a great avenue to learn more about the Jim Crow era. Really glad I read (listened to) this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Cursing, and Bullying

marycollins's review against another edition

dark sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual assault