Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

394 reviews

stargazerfish0's review

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The worst things that you can imagine happen in this book. I found a lot of parts hard to read, but I understand the experiment of it all. I think it's important to read the Foreward - both before and after to remind yourself - to understand its purpose. While any notes I have about the writing wouldn't do it justice, even Morrison herself admits that she doesn't know if she accomplished her goal, and I think its treatment by the Oprah Winfrey Club is a good example of that. I highly suggest that if you read this book, you read it first with the purpose of engaging with Morrison in her intention and critically analyzing why you think that it worked or did not work. I know that's a lot to ask of all readers, but this book is so full of disturbing subject matter that I think a distanced approach is best. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Death, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Emotional abuse

umibozus's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Sexual assault, Racism, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Rape

Moderate: Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Infidelity

thatone2112's review against another edition

dark emotional

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Rape, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Incest, and Body shaming

Moderate: Alcoholism and Classism

Minor: Death of parent and Death

catmisae'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

5.0

If you’re wanting to read a frequently banned or challenged book but don’t want to be depressed out of your mind, I would recommend looking elsewhere. But if you’re okay with a sad read this will probably be worth your time. 

This is only the second book I’ve read by Toni Morrison, but her writing style really resonates with me. With any other author, I think the use of the Dick and Jane passage as a framing device would have come off as really ham fisted, but Morrison pulls it off. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Racism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Pedophilia

librarycowboy's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Rape, and Incest

Moderate: Bullying, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Alcohol, Animal death, and Death of parent

diaspora_reader's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Emotional abuse

gunnarthewolf's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Child abuse, Incest, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Sexual violence

soyabeanos's review against another edition

dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Incest, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, and Rape

strawberry_seagull's review

dark emotional sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

ougghhhhh toni morrison writes so beautifully. hard to get through because it is so emotionally dense. love her tho. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Racism, Rape, Pedophilia, and Child abuse

nneka23's review against another edition

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Incest

Moderate: Child abuse