Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe

12 reviews

maregred's review

challenging inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Rape, Classism, Drug abuse, Death, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Addiction, Gun violence, Racism, and Adult/minor relationship

girrllie's review

It was too sad and violent. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Drug use, Gun violence, and Rape

mjwhitlock18's review

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

Coming-of-age story of an adolescent girl growing up in a housing project dealing with gang violence and loss of community due to gentrification, as well as navigating the changing landscape of her friendships. The voice and character of FeFe feels authentic, naive in a realistic way, and grows and changes as she loses innocence in a system that refuses to protect her and deals with turmoil, systemic injustice, and personal hurdles. The second part has a shift in tone, with her adult self recounting later events and reflecting on/ mourning the childhood she had. This narrative clearly shows the cycle of generational poverty, systemic racism, and police brutality, but still highlighting how she flourished with support and love. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, Police brutality, Drug use, and Gun violence

Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death

meg_charest's review

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

This book felt me, in many ways, like a contemporary Toni Morrison novel in its painfully poignant vignette-y telling of Black girlhood. The story takes place in 1990s Chicago and captures the way a group of children encounter violence and gain awareness of shared and individual trauma. It highlights the failings of systems and the ways in which systems cause intentional harm to Black folks through the eyes of girls who lose the right to their innocence and childhood because the world refuses to protect them and fights against the loved ones who try to shield them. Tough read at times, but beautifully written and exquisite characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child death, Racism, and Drug use

butcept's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Racism, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Child death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Toxic friendship

Minor: Drug use, Abandonment, and Pregnancy

emily_koopmann's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Child death, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Police brutality, Racism, Child abuse, Rape, and Violence

baileyk123's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Sad & beautiful coming-of-age story about intergenerational trauma and kids who have to grow up too fast in order to survive. Felicia’s voice and POV are so strong. Wonderful audiobook narrator. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Child abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Racism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Police brutality

lainemill's review

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Racism

Moderate: Sexual violence

sydapel's review

dark emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

An absolutely stunning debut, with some of the best narrative voice I've read this year. Wolfe captures the inner turmoil, confusion, friendship and grief of a teenage girl's last summer with her community in the Chicago housing projects before they (and much of the pillars of her childhood) are torn down  around her. The moments of joy interspersed with shocking depictions of violence (check all your TWs) is hard to read, but every character in this story is given such a rich backstory, it keeps you glued through the last page.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Racism

estam1's review

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, and Abandonment