Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

103 reviews

shaynicole's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

thegillbird's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

3.75

I think the author tried to do a bit too much with the narrative of this book- too many characters, too many storylines, and too much jumping around. I very much enjoyed the book, but would have liked the story to be edited down more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism

lokes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Dysphoria

rcbarnes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-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

Heartbreakingly uncanny.  Sublimly humanizing.  Disturbingly plausible.  Beautiful throughout.

Should probably be required reading before voting in US elections.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

obviousidentity's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Torture, and Police brutality

Minor: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Injury/Injury detail

sarahlreadseverything's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

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

1.0

What a relief to be finished - a brilliant premise but a disjointed, jumpy execution and muddled ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Transphobia

sparklefarm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? Yes

5.0

Absolutely brutal and beautiful. Content warning for pretty much everything, but incredible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Murder

Minor: Rape

amandabarry95's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Police brutality

brye90's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-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: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Homophobia and Religious bigotry

pinkiereads's review against another edition

challenging dark funny sad tense medium-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

3.25

i wish i could have liked this book but i just didn’t… there was just something missing or some disconnect in the writing. the premise was interesting but it honestly didn’t feel like it went anywhere? i really liked the statistics and i can say parts of it were good, like how the separate stories entertained. simon j craft and hendrix young were probably my favorite perspectives because they felt more real. the two main characters…. idk. something wasn’t working and i hate to say it but it might have been the fact that the author is a man but they just felt so unreal and one dimensional even as he was clearly trying to write them as complex. anyway, not my favorite. also dragged on really long tbh… i really wanted to like it but i just wanted it to be over 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder