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rachelsonnet'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? Yes
5.0
The writing made Robert’s and Gloria’s world so vivid. My heart was furiously racing through most of the book. I felt very connected to all the characters and I wanted them all to make it out so badly.
This book artfully shows the horror of the Jim Crow laws, the KKK, and the over incarceration of black youth. Unchecked power corrupts absolutely and turning a blind eye to injustice perpetuates it.
The reliance on community, hope, god, and song shone through the darkness of this novel. The effects of the unjust deaths ripple through time. This book should be required reading. Not only is our nation’s history a disgrace, so is our present. Reformatory schools(now called wilderness therapy or boot camp) operate with little oversight and need to be abolished.
Graphic: Racism, Torture, Slavery, Rape, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Moderate: Slavery and Body horror
Minor: Antisemitism
jill_holly'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: Racism, Child abuse, Murder, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Sexual harassment
booksteader'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: Violence, Physical abuse, Bullying, Child death, Murder, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Torture, Slavery, and Racism
Moderate: Death of parent
shrineofyourlies'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
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Child death, and Murder
Minor: Rape
peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Cancer, and Torture
Minor: Dysphoria, Grief, Misogyny, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Rape, Vomit, and Gore
nineinchnails'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
5.0
i don’t usually mention these, but i really recommend reading the dedication, author’s note, and acknowledgments, as they gave context that made the novel feel even more meaningful. this book gave me similar feelings to “mornings in jenin” by susan abulhawa. this was over 500 pages so it was a long read (from what i remember about horrors) but it was because it was so bleak and heavy rather than it feeling like a slog. not a sentence of this felt wasted and i highly recommend giving this a read, even if it’s not a novel you would typically gravitate towards. everyone has something to learn from this book!
Graphic: Sexism, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Racism, Child abuse, Torture, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Child death, Misogyny, Gun violence, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Antisemitism
Minor: Pedophilia, Slavery, War, and Sexual violence
Apartheid, Jim crow, and Segregationgabe_willem's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Child death, Racism, and Rape
Moderate: Death of parent
outofthepinksky's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Classism, Hate crime, Confinement, Child death, Bullying, Racism, Child abuse, Death, Murder, Racial slurs, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Cursing, Death of parent, Misogyny, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Pedophilia, and Vomit
Minor: Domestic abuse, Slavery, Cancer, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
qqjj'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Body horror, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Stalking, Rape, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Death, Slavery, Sexual assault, Classism, Gore, Violence, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Blood, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Gun violence, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Torture
swiftpool'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Murder, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Slavery, Grief, Blood, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Violence
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, and Dementia