Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

358 reviews

megshrews's review against another edition

dark reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Trafficking, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Slavery, Racism, Suicide, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

staylor2187's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

Moderate: Suicide and Torture

alexklinect's review against another edition

challenging sad slow-paced

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

2.5

It feels like the author was given this prompt for a high school English class: “A time-traveler, but no one understands her, she criticizes everything, there’s no character development, nothing makes sense, and the book ends without resolution.” Although the beginning was a bit slow, the middle was interesting, yet the ending seemed rushed and unclear. I would have given three stars if there had better character development and a clearer, more impactful ending. 
2.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Violence

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Suicide

Minor: Rape

claraofthewood's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Child death, Pregnancy, Rape, Racism, Body horror, Racial slurs, Blood, Child abuse, Slavery, and Sexual assault

_natalie_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Racial slurs, Slavery, Ableism, Racism, Physical abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Infidelity, Alcoholism, Rape, Suicide, Grief, Self harm, and Blood

sannesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

This is an amazing read, but this is definitely not a light read! It basically contains all the trigger warnings you can think of, so be aware of that starting this book.

Amazing writing, and a difficult, dark, thought-provoking story to read. This story is about a black woman with modern values and norms time travelling to a time of slavery in the South of America. Even though this has the sci-fi/fantasy element of time tracelling, I wouldn't consider this much as a sci-fi book. This book leans more towards historical/literary fiction. A book exploring history, humanity, society, intereacial realationships, power dynamics, racsim, sexism and trauma.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Torture, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Abandonment, Racism, Rape, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Blood, Slavery, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Murder

figsofpeach's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Death of parent, Slavery, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Pregnancy, Child death, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

proceduralbob's review against another edition

challenging emotional

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Rape, and Self harm

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Suicide

froon's review against another edition

5.0

wow. wow. wow. this book is so gripping that i would go to sleep thinking about what would happen next. 

the biggest thing i want to commend is how butler plays with pity. rufus is objectively despicable⏤wishy-washy, violent, hard-headed, evil, etc, etc⏤but, regardless, it’s hard to question dana’s friendship with him. it’s complex, but it never gets to the point where dana feels foolish or frustrating. 

also, the approach to the sf elements in this book? amazing!! the second you question something dana is there, already having worked out how something will/will not work. it’s a testament to butler’s world building. she doesn’t make her character’s a crutch by dumbing them down. and this, in turn, opens the world to more emotion and character relationships. it taught me a lot about how to effectively open a novel.

also, apologies to dr. kelly who said white people always like this book the best even though butler has better books. i thought this book was great.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Rape and Suicide

Minor: Self harm

kjcrary's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective 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: Violence, Suicide, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Vomit