Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

79 reviews

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5

Hauntingly beautiful prose yet still direct and plain enough for everyone to access. This book is equal parts historical fiction, horror, and thriller. The paranormal aspect made the story more compelling and without it, it would’ve been just another story about the Jim Crow south and the horrors that occurred there. The characters are brave and heroic and hopeful even when they have no reason to be. This book has the potential to become a classic and should be read widely. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Slavery, Child death, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Confinement, Cancer, Alcoholism, Dementia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Murder, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

racheltheripper's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Murder, Hate crime, Torture, Child death, Body horror, Blood, Grief, Gore, Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

mldavis_2015's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, Child abuse, and Racism

Minor: Animal death, Alcoholism, Rape, Vomit, and Sexual assault

bookscatcoffee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Haunting, both literally and in the true tales related about a horrific place (Dozier), this book is a reckoning.  The writing is clear and the plot moves, but it’s not so fast that the lessons that need to be told about racism, sexism, homophobia, and the million other ways that white supremacy has screwed up America fade.  It is stark and visceral and a great story about terrible things.  Definitely worth reading!  4.5 stars

Historical horror with Black characters

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Torture, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Violence, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Murder, and Bullying

courtneyadh's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

I loved this book and truly could not put it down. But it is very intense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Racism, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Slavery, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Bullying

Minor: Classism, Rape, Pedophilia, and Vomit

streberkatze's review

adventurous challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This book was a gripping read from the first page all the way to the end. It was challenging at times because of the cruelty and brutality the protagonists had to endure, especially knowing that similar things took place in over many places across the U.S. Both the character development and the way the haints shaped the story were done brilliantly.

Although the question what happened to the caught haints after Robbie freed them sadly remained unaddressed.

The only thing that kept me from giving this book five stars is the at times very slow pace of the story, which has more to do with my own reading preferences and less with the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Torture, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, and Murder

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Slavery, Animal death, and Animal cruelty

fabiandtheberts's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual violence, Murder, Violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Child death, Child abuse, and Torture

thrillofthepage's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Confinement, Racial slurs, Rape, Slavery, Physical abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, Torture, and Violence

kirstyyreadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Bullying, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Torture, Body horror, Physical abuse, Blood, Child death, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, and Racial slurs

Minor: Rape, Death of parent, and Animal death

hughesie's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Confinement

Moderate: Murder, Police brutality, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Racial slurs, Torture, Bullying, Rape, Death of parent, Violence, Death, Grief, Hate crime, and Pedophilia

Minor: Antisemitism, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, and Sexual assault