Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

39 reviews

ladysanctuary's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Violence, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Sexual assault

smblanc1793's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.25

Absolutely heartwrenching, but it’s difficult to say how much of that comes purely from the book’s subject matter and how much of it can be attributed to Whitehead himself. 

Not the best written book I’ve ever read, but certainly far from the worst. The characters are well developed for the relatively short length of the book, the plot is solid and harrowing, and the major themes threaded throughout feel, unfortunately, as relevant as ever. What pushed this book above 4 stars for me, though, was the end—a reveal I certainly didn’t see coming and a twist that, in my mind, cemented Whitehead as not just telling a good story, but as a good storyteller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Addiction, Murder, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Torture, and Violence

If I were to add all the necessary content warnings we’d be here all day. It’s about a black juvie circa-1960s. You can guess what kind of horrors go down.

candacemressler's review against another edition

inspiring 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Police brutality, Racism, and Slavery

kristynpittman's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, and Violence

rrovezzi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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: Racism, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Rape, Police brutality, and Racial slurs

keb3's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Torture, Police brutality, Physical abuse, and Death

Moderate: Rape

julied's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

• 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

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Violence

noshelf_control's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

• 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: Physical abuse

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, Police brutality, and Hate crime

lake's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Death, Cursing, and Racism

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, and Homophobia

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Medical content, and Drug abuse