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pilicreads's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Beautiful, haunting, difficult, wrenching, and extremely powerful. To quote The Washington Post, this book “shreds our easy confidence in the triumph of goodness”. I think everyone needs to read this.
Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
mle11's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Dementia
shannyoung55'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: Child abuse, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Child death and Murder
Minor: Pedophilia and Rape
elise_nk's review against another edition
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, and Violence
jayisreading's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
jennswan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
jlfields925'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
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Murder
penhaligon's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
First, I found the writing style very interesting in The Nickel Boys. Much like the environment and happenings in the book, the writing style was not flowery or flowing. At times it was curt, it was precise, it would cut a sentence into two or three short ones. Very contrary to what I normally read and enjoy, it really made me stop, literally, multiple times to make me focus on the “why” of the styling chosen, which I think made things more impactful for me; at times I even reread to see if there was a hidden meaning of intent. It wasn’t so much that it was difficult or confusing, but more so gave me pause.
The tale itself is sad: full stop. Sure there are moments of positivity, of hope and optimism. But ultimately, it is a tragic, yet necessary, fictional telling of the worst of humanity. And being fiction, it is easy to understand and digest. I will say the ending threw me - I guessed it a bit before the Epilogue, but not early enough that it spoiled anything. And honestly it makes me want to reread it to see if I can pick out the context clues which were sprinkled along the way.
Can definitely understand why this won a Pulitzer. Definitely recommend. I finished it in ~6 hours over two days.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
lilaypad's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder
gabthebookworm'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
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Police brutality