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lawbooks600's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Representation: Black and biracial (half Black and half white) characters
Score: Two points out of ten.
I didn't enjoy To Kill a Mockingbird at any point in the book. I saw this one circling my recommendations, making me want to read it. When I discovered my library had this, I immediately wanted to pick it up. Soon enough, it was time to read it, and I initially thought it would be enjoyable, but it wasn't.
Spoilers ahead. I've warned you.
It starts with the first people I see, Scout and Jem Finch, recounting their lives in a small town named Maycomb. Nothing much happens in the opening pages (actually the first 150 pages,) until a court case occurs involving a Black person being accused of assaulting a white person. To say To Kill a Mockingbird was disappointing only scratches the surface of how abhorrent it is. To Kill a Mockingbird portrays a white saviour narrative as the white lawyer, Atticus Finch, swoops in and solves racism for the Black character, Tom. That has to be one of the most unrealistic rendering of racism I've seen.
To Kill a Mockingbird ignores the fact that Black people and other minorities stood up for themselves to stop injustice and instead sends a message that only white people can stop racism for them. I would've liked the characters if they didn't play the white saviour. All I see is racism from the white perspective, and never hear from any of the Black characters. The last 100 pages weren't much better as all the characters in this fictional composition reflect on what happened, but not before one of them delivers a speech on colourblindness and how race doesn't matter and they are all only people.
To summarise, this piece of fiction from the author initially seemed promising, but when I closed its final page, I felt disgusted. You can read other books concerning discrimination like The Hate U Give instead of this.
Score: Two points out of ten.
I didn't enjoy To Kill a Mockingbird at any point in the book. I saw this one circling my recommendations, making me want to read it. When I discovered my library had this, I immediately wanted to pick it up. Soon enough, it was time to read it, and I initially thought it would be enjoyable, but it wasn't.
Spoilers ahead. I've warned you.
To Kill a Mockingbird ignores the fact that Black people and other minorities stood up for themselves to stop injustice and instead sends a message that only white people can stop racism for them. I would've liked the characters if they didn't play the white saviour. All I see is racism from the white perspective, and never hear from any of the Black characters. The last 100 pages weren't much better as all the characters in this fictional composition reflect on what happened, but not before one of them delivers a speech on colourblindness and how race doesn't matter and they are all only people.
To summarise, this piece of fiction from the author initially seemed promising, but when I closed its final page, I felt disgusted. You can read other books concerning discrimination like The Hate U Give instead of this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Animal death, and Racism
Full trigger warnings: Assault mentioned, racism, sexism, racist and sexist slurs, gun and knife violence, animal deathannapox's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Animal death, Addiction, Terminal illness, Death, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Grief, Gun violence, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, and Murder
Minor: Mental illness, Misogyny, Slavery, Death of parent, Colonisation, Cursing, Violence, Bullying, Antisemitism, War, and Medical content
elisabethcasee's review
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexism, Classism, and Death
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
sassmistress's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
5.0
Wow. I really dropped the ball not reading this one until now. I'm sure it's much more impactful as a parent, though. Gripping, emotional ride from start to finish. Such perfect detail I had to keep reminding myself that it's a work of fiction.
Favorite fictional father so far! Just wow. And the slow unfolding of events as understood by a child overhearing things and not fully grasping the implications of situations is just perfection.
Favorite fictional father so far! Just wow. And the slow unfolding of events as understood by a child overhearing things and not fully grasping the implications of situations is just perfection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Addiction, Chronic illness, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Classism, Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, Racism, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
Moderate: Incest, Animal death, Sexism, Death of parent, Misogyny, Ableism, Confinement, Drug use, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Slavery, Stalking, and Terminal illness
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Suicide, and War
This book is for adults. It centers around a rape trial in which a black man is (falsely) accused of assaulting a white woman in a heavily segregated Alabama town.It's deeply immersive, in a culture where racism is woven into the culture and impossible to avoid. The KKK and the "War Between the States" are part of recent cultural memory. Black defendants are always convicted no matter what. Lynching and mob violence are a very near threat.
Expectedly, the n-word abounds, among other racial slurs. Other language is not infrequent, including he**, g-d-, b****, wh*re, d**n, sl*t, etc. Lord's name in vain quite a few times.
Lots of death--not gory, but as close as it gets without actually witnessing it. Old age, and talk of the body being carried out of the home. Death penalty discussed often. A man dies:
Domestic violence:
Morphine addiction is discussed and withdrawals are shown.
Both respectable and "unrespectable" poverty are shown.
Schoolyard bullying and fights, neighborhood verbal abuse and gossip about many culturally relevant "deficiencies" like unladylikeness, mental illness, intellectual disability, not being sufficiently racist, etc.
Lots of portrayals of Christianity. Some are good, including the nearest relationships to the MC, but many are not. A neighbor reports that a different sort of baptist told her she was going to hell, MC loses "confidence in pulpit gospel" when thinking on what a good person the neighbor is. "Foot-washers think women are a sin by definition. They take the Bible literally, you know." The ladies' missionary society talks about global cultures with pity and exaggeration, often conflating spiritual issues with cultural differences. A white employer tells her black housekeeper she's not being a good Christian when she is visibly affected by a serious injustice in the local community and nearly fired her for it. Etc, many more.
Other spiritual content: Kids spook each other with talk of spirits on dirt roads. "Dill was a villain's villain: he could get into any character part assigned him, and appear tall if height was part of the devilry required. "
Besides the rape trial and moderately explicit testimony, which includes brief mention of domestic SA, there's other, more minor sexual content. Incest in local families is mentioned very specifically a few times. There's a quick joke about infidelity. Kids lie and say they were playing strip poker, which gets them into trouble (less because they played with matches instead of cards). There's a "swift" kid kiss, and a boy climbs into bed with a girl he keeps promising to marry some day, but it's platonic.
"I'll tan you" and many other such comments, severe corporal punishment for children being an expected part of the culture. Kids laugh when the teacher gives "quick little pats" on the hand when they realize it was meant to be a "whipping".
vegxnpotato's review
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
- 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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Racism, and Sexism
c_e_w's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Racism, Racial slurs, Animal death, Incest, Violence, Bullying, Grief, Sexism, Death of parent, and Rape
leonormsousa's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Bullying, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Terminal illness, Violence, Murder, Animal death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Slavery
calicat42's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Rape, Gaslighting, Violence, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, Sexism, Hate crime, and Murder
plsnotanotherdamselindistress's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This book contains some heavy topics...and adresses them in a mostly good way.
It really took some time getting into the story as the first person narrator is not all knowing but the story gets told from the subjective perspective of a little girl.
But the choice of the narrator was also great because you do not just take on the opinion of the person that narrates the story and it realistically portrays how little children deal with such societal issues as in racism or sexism plus as this book covers years the development of Scout's character is really interesting.
I especially liked the variety of opinions and characters introduced as it represents society (then and now).
So even though this book was written years ago and about the early 2000s these themes are still current and thus the teachings are quite important and helpful.
It really took some time getting into the story as the first person narrator is not all knowing but the story gets told from the subjective perspective of a little girl.
But the choice of the narrator was also great because you do not just take on the opinion of the person that narrates the story and it realistically portrays how little children deal with such societal issues as in racism or sexism plus as this book covers years the development of Scout's character is really interesting.
I especially liked the variety of opinions and characters introduced as it represents society (then and now).
So even though this book was written years ago and about the early 2000s these themes are still current and thus the teachings are quite important and helpful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, and Classism
Minor: Police brutality, Addiction, Domestic abuse, and Bullying
martin27's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I fully understand why this book is considered to be so important. It’s incredible, with a lot of meaning and heart in every word. Some parts move so quickly that you can’t put it down, and some go slowly not because they’re boring but because it’s the kind of story you want to savor. I cannot recommend it enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
The novel has a fairly heavy premise: a black man on trial for the rape of a white woman in Alabama during the Jim Crow era. All trigger warnings that can think of are present, but I think that for the most part Harper Lee handles them very well.