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writingcaia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Children discarded like rotten fruit, beaten, raped, murdered for sport and no one cared. No graves, no memorials. Sad but true. The reality that humans are capable of such evil, but also, of such courage and resilience.
The writing is a bit dense and hard to get into, especially with this theme of abuse, racism, and murder. However, as soon as the decent, educated, polite, super smart, compassionate and revolutionary Elwood accidentally lands in the reformatory school things start getting heavier and harder to let go off.
What happened in the fictional The Nickel school was inspired by a true story, and we all know so many. I know I do. The catholics were responsible for so many similar abusive and murderous orphanages and schools of the type, where the most vulnerable were always the most hurt.
Racism obviously plays a huge part in the story with Elwood being so inspired by MLK and those being the times of JFK and the civil rights movement.
It’s also a story of friendship and standing up for the other.
The finale was especially heart wrenching, with a twist I saw coming, and still made me cry.
Love will always conquer even death.
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Racial slurs, and Child abuse
Moderate: Murder and Child death
Minor: Rape
nt_johanna's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Murder, Hate crime, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault
graceesford's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Violence, Slavery, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Death, Colonisation, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Murder, and Gaslighting
lizreaderhold's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Confinement, Abandonment, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Slavery, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Torture, and Xenophobia
jennie_white2008's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, Death, Confinement, Bullying, Blood, Racial slurs, Murder, Violence, and Racism
citybookspgh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Police brutality, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Racism, and Torture
A difficult but important read.allthingstajah's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Physical abuse and Murder
hkesslerjones's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Bullying, Sexism, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
amariela02's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Bullying, Child abuse, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Police brutality, Gun violence, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, Medical content, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
stella_petit's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Child abuse
Moderate: Blood, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Minor: Gun violence