Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Slay by Brittney Morris

13 reviews

adamsbookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring sad fast-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

This book was such a fantastic read. We follow Kira who seems like your average highschool girl, but by night she is the Queen of a fantasy world called Slay. The only catch is no one know she is the creator of the game. Being one of four black students in an all white school Kira uses Slay to be close to other black gamers. After one of the gamers is murdered in real life, Slay blows up in the mainstream media. People call the game racist, offensive, discriminatory and it's up to Kira to stop the trolls and make Slay the fantastic world it used to be.

Kira was such a fantastic character. I loved seeing her vulnerability and how she educates people around her about race.

Even at the end she doesn't want to call the cops on Malcolm. The amount of police violence against black people is truly appalling. It truly shows how caring of a person Kira is she doesn't retaliate against Malcolms violence with more violence.

We see a constant theme of black excellence and it was beautiful. The descriptions of the Slay universe were so detailed and made me gasp in awe.

This novel truly feels like the authors love letter to her community. I am so grateful that I was able to read this novel before Republicans ban this book for being "Racist" like they are doing to other black authors writing about black experience.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Police brutality

This books talks about most of the mentioned content warnings in an informative way, not a derogatory way.

cookiecat73's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism

Moderate: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Cancer, Classism, Misogyny, and Terminal illness

Minor: Alcohol, Colonisation, Drug use, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Acephobia/Arophobia, Pregnancy, Police brutality, and Homophobia

kstericker's review against another edition

funny inspiring reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Violence, Death, and Murder

Minor: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Police brutality, Physical abuse, and Hate crime

fynnnnnn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexism, Transphobia, and Violence

Minor: Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Outing, and Medical content

quinn22's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Murder, and Child death

Minor: Alcohol, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Violence, Bullying, and Ableism

fantasyshelves's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Gun violence, Misogyny, Death of parent, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Racial slurs

Minor: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Gaslighting

bookowllover's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Cancer

Minor: Gun violence and Violence

_thelitlibrarian's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective 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

3.5

3.50 stars
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TW; Racism, Racial Slurs, Toxic Relationship, Death, Cancer, Child Death, Violence, Gun Violence
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Going into Slay I wasn't really sure what to expect, I had been putting this one off for so long. Kiera is your average seventeen-year-old but by night, she turns into a game developer and SLAY player Emerald. I really enjoyed the endless representation, pop-culture references, and some of the message behind this book. I didn't really enjoy how unrealistic the book felt at times especially the whole creation of the game itself. 

When a young boy winds up dead due to a dispute in-game, Kiera's world comes crashing down - everyone wants her to be held responsible for a game that seems to be targeted towards black gamers. When it seems as a player infiltrates the game and threatens to sue Kiera, she must spring into action to save everything she's ever worked on. 

One of the things I liked most about this book was the dialogue and the interaction between characters, although, I must say I really disliked Malcolm and found his views to be a little out there. I would highly suggest this book as it does hit on very difficult topics and subject matter that should be acknowledged. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Death, Cancer, Child death, Violence, and Gun violence

alisazhup's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

OUTSTANDING OUTSTANDING OUTSTANDING! This book deserves SO MUCH HYPE! There was a nuanced discussion of safe spaces, a cute sister/family relationship, an epic video game world, an exploration of what "Black excellence" really means, themes of internalized racism, girls in STEM, Black culture, friendship with people from different races, different regions/countries etc. etc. etc. As a white person this book gave me a lot of perspective. I only wish it was longer! I think a sequel could work with this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Child death

Moderate: Racial slurs, Terminal illness, and Cancer

Minor: Cursing, Medical content, and Police brutality

butyougotmysoul's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

4.0

This book was really well written, engaging, and exciting.  There were several parts that I felt were a bit extraneous and didn't add too much to the story, but it was negligible when compared with the overall book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Minor: Gun violence, Violence, Child death, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, and Police brutality