Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

254 reviews

yasmine1998's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Rape, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Self harm

taysmoonie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

My second read and I still get so sucked in! It's a surprisingly fast-paced book but I find it so fascinating to see a Black woman navigate her relationship with white men in particular.  She is in love with one yet hates another yet both are equally as important to her.  It still makes me question morals in a way that I almost canter comprehend.  Is it ethical to allow harm to your ancestors for your creation?  Are we, as Black people in the 2020s, allowed to say that slavery happened for a reason or allowed us to be the way we are now? It begs the question of "Did we need slavery to happen?" It's so incredibly thought provoking and I still think it's my favorite book yet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Self harm and Rape

Minor: Suicide

em815ily's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Child death, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, and Racial slurs

jeffrey_rid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Octavia Butler uses the situation of the story to explore the context of generational trauma with great empathy and insight.  Using the framing story, she uncovers how people in a variety of roles were trapped by the system of slavery.  Without forgiving the masters, she exposes how the structures of society trap and shape them.  As Dana explores her own options, we see how she is also complicit in the enslavement of her friends and relatives.  The story uses the imagined premise to explore very real issues in both the past and the present.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Violence, Self harm, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, and Slavery

srjennings's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Violence

There is a lot of very difficult content that is disturbing and gut wrenching, but it is necessary to understand the brutality of slavery in America.

hotkoolaidpotato's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Cursing, Bullying, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Death, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Blood, Grief, Sexual assault, Ableism, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Rape

oz2021's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Suicide, Rape, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Self harm

baibe's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Torture, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Rape, Slavery, Self harm, Bullying, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

martinza's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

It is about usa southern states slavery, it is hard to read, it is very good. The time travel element brought it emotionally much closer to me in contrast to a „it was a long time ago - it was very bad“ story. The only well used time travel in any story I can remember at the moment. A focus is on different kinds of human relations in the context of slavery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Body horror, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Abandonment, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Torture, and Suicide

kara_giffo2434's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Slavery

Moderate: Violence, Rape, Self harm, and Sexual assault