Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

87 reviews

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing sad 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? Yes

4.25

With the allegations against Sherman Alexie, this book may be forever tainted by his legacy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Medical content and Abandonment

There is also death of and , as well as a huge focus on the effects and shame of poverty.

jhbandcats's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

A devastating semi-autobiographical story of a teenaged Spokane Indian who leaves the reservation to break out of the rez cycle of poverty and alcoholism. 

This book isn’t very long and it’s very funny, and it has short chapters that move really quickly - but it seemed to take me forever to finish it. I’d put it down and then I’d procrastinate rather than reading more. It was because it’s about the most painful story I’ve read in I don’t know how long. It would be sad enough anyway, but the fact that it’s based on Alexie’s experiences makes it heartbreaking. 

I know about Alexie’s sexual abuse of women and the harm that he caused. That infuriates me. For someone so talented and so representative of a minority to take advantage of his position in this way is worse than appalling because it gives a bad name to all in that minority. In addition to my anger, I have mixed feelings about recommending his book. It’s the same with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski movies - how do you separate the reprehensible artist from the spectacular art? Is that even possible? 

I don’t know the answer. I just know that this was a phenomenal book that makes me want to read everything else by Sherman Alexie. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

darcy124's review

dark informative reflective 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? Yes

2.25

Forced to read this in school a while back. Not a read I enjoyed in the slightest. I do think the book definitely opened my eyes to the struggles of Native Americans in today's society and I would like to learn more about it. Also, contained use of slurs. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Racism, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, and Vomit

allie_schick's review

emotional funny 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, and Racism

Minor: Racial slurs

mymorie's review

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Racial slurs, and Racism

Minor: Suicide

hannah_mariee's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Vomit, and Alcohol

elly29's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative 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? Yes

4.0

had some brief thought this was going to be like “An Indian in the Cupboard.” Boy, was I incorrect. (No magical realism, no fantasy.) Alexie’s personal, fictionalized story came out of nowhere for me, and it was impactful in the way that most middle-school-age reads are impactful. So much of Arnold/Junior’s life was difficult, but also so much of it was easy (like how he became popular). It was a tapestry, and showed a lot of issues Indigenous Americans face.

I listened to the version narrated by Alexie. It was powerful. You can hear Alexie get emotional over the deaths of his his sister Mary and his dad's best friend Eugene. I felt the loss and the hopelessness of the rez, and how beautiful and complex it is to be Indigenous. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, and Racism

Minor: Vomit and Toxic friendship

There is a pet dog death.

___puddin's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

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

4.0

Hilarious. And sad all at once 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Death

unusualsnowunicorn's review

funny hopeful sad fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, and Grief

Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Bullying, and Child abuse

vivthereader's review

challenging emotional funny fast-paced

cried x3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Suicide, Vomit, Car accident, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury