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hello_lovely13'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
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug abuse and Transphobia
erinmcav's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Police brutality, and Trafficking
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Transphobia, and Suicide attempt
clara_mai's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fantastic debut novel (it's wild to think about that the author is the same age as me). Inspired by real events, it accounts the experience of Kiara, a 17-years-old Black girl in a difficult familial and financial situation getting into sex work and ending up being sexually abused and exploited by a whole ring of of police officers. While revealing the corruption of the police and the justice system, the narrative also centers on Kiara's relationships to the people in her life, both complicated and beautiful. I think this could have been even more powerful if it was overall less metaphorically dense, if the imagery had been reduced in some places so that it would hit even harder in others. Overall though, the prose has great rhythm and storytelling-wise this book is just brilliant.
Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Transphobia
hapikohw's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
syllareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Trafficking and Suicide attempt
Minor: Drug use and Transphobia
littlehibou7'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: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Trafficking
Minor: Transphobia
lidia7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Trafficking, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Torture, Transphobia, Blood, and Death of parent
amandalorianxo'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
3.25
Graphic: Sexual assault and Police brutality
Moderate: Trafficking
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Transphobia, and Blood
bookishpip'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
It’s about a young girl whose family are absent. Her father is dead, her mother in a halfway house and her brother unemployed and preoccupied with becoming a famous musician. On top of this there is a young boy in the flat below hers whose mother has a history of substance abuse and has left him to fend for himself. As the rent in her apartment block rises and there is nobody else to look after her and Trevor, she takes to the streets to keep a roof over their heads.
This book absolutely broke my heart and touched on so many important topics in some depth. These included police power and brutality - especially towards Black people and poor people. The fact that our protagonist was a Black, poor, 17 year old girl makes this story even more chilling - especially when you read the Author’s Note and see that this is loosely based on real stories. I was absolutely rooting for her the whole time; the stifling feeling of having no other choices and being vulnerable to danger was so pervasive.
Her life and events were portrayed with such clarity that I’d say this book provides an important dialogue for understanding the struggles of non-white people in relation to the myth of equality of opportunity, material deprivation and the knock-on effect of these things.
I would absolutely recommend this - but do look up trigger warnings first as there are some quite brutal parts.
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Police brutality
Minor: Transphobia
travelseatsreads'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
The novel is absolutely devastatingly gripping from the very first page. Immediately, it's obvious Kiara is in an awful situation and the urge is to wrap up her up and take her from this devastation. Mottley writes so well that there's an immediate emotional connection and investment with Kiara and you can't help but want to run in and rescue her.
Leila doesn't shy away from the nasty, gritty and graphic reality of this case. And honestly that's one of the most frightening parts, that this story is based on true events which occured in the Oakland area. Leila allows us to see into a world overflowing with poverty, abuse, police brutality and incredible injustice. Not only does she allows us to catch a glimpse of this world, she is so authentic and faithful in her writing that it is hard not to feel the fear and desperation seep from the pages.
It's hard to imagine that such a well written, gripping and important book is a debut novel but even harder to imagine that Leila began writing Nightcrawling just before her 17th birthday. I was completely consumed by every page and am very excited to see what's to come next from the wonder that is Leila Mottley.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol