Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi

4 reviews

jenna_justi2004's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Murder, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Colonisation, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Slavery, Toxic relationship, War, Alcohol, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Gore, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Cursing, Torture, Confinement, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt

bandysbooks's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

I heard about Riot Baby during a readathon that I was participating in. Previously, I was unfamiliar with this author and this work. I’m glad that’s changed though because I though this was such an interesting book.

Riot Baby follows two siblings, one of which was born during the Rodney King Riots. They are surrounded by a system that victimizes, criminalizes, and then incarcerates their peers. When they reach a breaking point, we start to see hints of powers they’ve both been containing. 

This is in some ways a dystopia, but in some ways it isn’t. We have a system that is set up to function against a certain group of people. The reason that I won’t call it an outright dystopia is because those injustices are just slight escalations of the things that already happen on a day to day basis in the states.

What’s most impressive about this book is how it can delve into such deep themes in such a short page count. It all made sense as written, but also left me wanting more of the story. All in all, a solid read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Racism, Violence, Blood, Classism, Police brutality, and Torture

cutlet's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.25

This was my first audiobook and it was incredibly powerful to listen to the author read their story. This feels like it should be mandatory reading for all white people, to better understand Black history in the US and the intergenerational trauma it carries with it. The main characters absolutely pulled me in, but it was at times difficult to keep track of when and where something was happening.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Death of parent, Mental illness, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Colonisation, Murder, Slavery, Cancer, Classism, and Racial slurs

decie's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

4.5

pick this up when you want raw, heavy, rage-filled poetry. if you're primed for a fantasy plot you'll be disappointed. that's not what the author is doing here. it's better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Murder, Violence, Grief, Classism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Racism, Police brutality, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Drug use and Confinement

Minor: Animal death