Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Nightcrawling: A novel by Leila Mottley

83 reviews

kawooreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

For some reason, I went into reading this book thinking it was a thriller. I am not sure where I got that idea. In reading the synopsis it sounds like a young girl, with little options, finds herself involved in a criminal underground. While that is an accurate synopsis, this book is 100% heartbreaking drama with no real suspense. And I don't mean that in a bad way.  It's been awhile since I read something picked for Oprah's Book Club so I forgot that she can pick such soul-destroying tales. This is the story of Kiara, a teenager who turns to a life of prostitution in East Oakland in order to provide for her brother as well as a young boy in her apartment complex who has no strong parental figures in his life. It's a story of resiliency but also of how US American society fails it's most vulnerable. Children of Color are often objectified, vilified, and ultimately disregarded as children when no protective adult is present. This story is a challenge to the notion of "It takes a village to raise a child". Across this country there is an expectation that when children (especially non-White children in urban areas) are without a parent/guardian, it is then their responsibility to raise themselves and grow up to be productive members of society who pay bills, make good choices, and don't break the law. There is no guidance, there is no charity, only pressure from authority and a never-ending stream of predators. The sexual exploitation of minors is a behemoth of an issue on it's own, yet when combined with the willful ignorance and shortcomings of social systems, communities, and people we trust to protect and serve, it's a whole new category of human atrocity. I was angry and frustrated from beginning to end while reading this book. The Content Warnings could probably wrap around a building and while I don't really recommend this book outright, I do think it's a story that conveys a clear image of the shared experience of teenagers raising themselves the best they can because no one else is able/willing to step up and keep them safe. It's proof that Love, alone, is not enough when it comes to having children. As one mother says in this story, "I love my baby, but love don't fix the other shit".

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Child death, Murder, Self harm, and Mental illness

alisonannk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Abandonment

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Trafficking, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Chronic illness, and Excrement

rebeccamatthews's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse

syds_shelves's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I really fucking liked nightcrawling. it was so sad throughout that I took a 3 week break from reading it. I have two younger brothers so anything with a young boy that needs protecting is immediately gonna crack my heart open. The last 3 pages also beat me down in a way I wasn’t expecting BECAUSE the end wasn’t that bad? I’m not sure if i’ve been hearing too many folks say the ending really hurt them or what but… I feel like this reality is very true and near for a lot of black folks so I was not hurt or surprised more than I am by being black every day in a country that doesn’t give a shit about me. Maybe it’s all the open ends and “what happens to ___” that has left folks reeling but, again, cannot say. 

That aside, the book??? It felt like my emotions were getting jumped every single page. There was nearly no relief, but I couldn’t stop reading. I think this book is very similar stylistically to The Hate U Give (A lot of colorful background characters that aren’t fully fleshed out, a lot of strong values and beliefs presented from the author through the main character, and a deep love for where the characters come from. You can tell Leila has a deep love for Oakland) until it’s not. Some of this prose is for sure over written and flowery but fuck did it knock me out of my shoes. Because who would think to pair the blows of poverty, trafficking, and how generally deplorable police are with language like this.

There are other parts where I read and was like “yeah, this feels like a debut by a young author” in the kindest way. There is always room for growth, and I think this is also the unfortunate result of reading a heavily talked about Oprah/Booksta book. She’s made a fan of me and i’ll ABSOLUTELY be back for her next ones.

I get why this book was what it was, but personally I do wish it had more black joy. Take it or leave it, but there is so much misery and awfulness going on that I think you have black books for white folks and black books for black folks. The difference between The Help or a Tyler Perry production and a James Baldwin or Toni Morrison. Sad, but loving black folks vs sad and putting that on display for folks who don’t know black people irl, people who don’t watch the news, people who aren’t tapped in to politics, etc. This didn’t feel like the former, but it wasn’t quite at the ladder for me. A weird limbo. I think when writing truth to power for all these stories for and about black folks, I personally as a reader value something to pull your head above water.

The characters, I wanted to love but so many of them felt cut short just as i was beginning to know them. The really bad ones felt super hallow and like they were there to serve only a purpose and get you to the next few pages. This is where it can get hard to critique something based on a true story. Something that happens every day more gruesome than even described here. idk I guess all i’m saying is being black every day prepared me for this ending but not the things leading up to it. The book itself was very good, and I have high hopes for what will come next. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Misogyny, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Vomit, Gun violence, Self harm, Death of parent, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Blood, and Rape

carmenvillaman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

vaniavela's review against another edition

dark emotional

• 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

Kiara Johnson, a 17-year-old East Oakland resident, struggles to make ends meet and keep it together for herself and her older brother, Marcus, who is unable to hold down a job.

This is a story of survival. The writing style is extraordinary, feeling Kia's emotions and hearing her voice throughout the book.  The dehumanization of people by the police department and the justice system is horrifying. Nightcrawling deals with deep issues such as poverty, sex work, police brutality, sexual abuse, and racial and gender inequality. 

Leila Mottley is a terrific young author and I admire the way she has written this book. 

TW: sex-work, prostitution, sexual assault, addiction, police brutality, child negligence, suicide attempt, drug use, alcohol use, abuse of power, intimidation, death of a child, human trafficking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Addiction, and Trafficking

Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, and Drug use

nialiversuch's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Classism, Grief, Sexual violence, Child death, Cursing, Death, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Addiction

Moderate: Vomit, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Excrement

lklitup's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

The praise on the cover of this novel by Tommy Orange is spot-on; every page of this book is remarkable. Leila Mottley’s writing is dense but lyrical. I was completely engrossed. Kiara seemingly occupied two different worlds but still wholly herself, someone who protects, provides, and loves as best she can. She is enough— for herself, Trevor, Marcus, Alé— even though she worries she isn’t. I could have read hundreds more pages. I will be waiting for anything Leila Mottley writes next. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Death, Rape, Alcohol, Trafficking, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

deandra_lalonde's review against another edition

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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Police brutality, Trafficking, Child death, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Rape, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, and Violence

apieceofjaaay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Extremely poetic. Traumatic story. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual harassment