Scan barcode
katewhite77's review against another edition
- 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
Told over two years through the eyes of three children who are part of a close-knit neighbourhood in Alabama in the early 1930s.
The novel opens by introducing a bit of neighbourhood legend, which helps set the scene and how socially conservative the community really is.
Aticus Finch, single Dad to Gem and Scout, two of the aforementioned children, is a progressive parent and lawyer, which becomes more and more important as we move the novel.
The absolute genius of this novel ìs that it is told through the eyes of three ìnocet children as it drives home to the reader quite how ridiculous the adult world can be sometimes.
It's funny as I was pretty sure I had read this book as a teenager and I remembered the beginning but there was a large swathe of the plot I had completely forgotten, so much so that I assumed I must not have finished the book but then I remembered the end, so I must have completed it.
I can imagine teenage me not really appreciating the more nuanced aspects of the plot, particularly when it came to Atticus' willingness not to follow the conversations of the time. So, I am really glad I read it again as an adult.
I think this really deserves its classic status.
Moderate: Rape, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Colonisation, Grief, Classism, Physical abuse, Addiction, Terminal illness, Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence
dionysius_miller's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Murder, Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, and Alcoholism
Minor: Classism and Police brutality
annapox's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Animal death, Addiction, Terminal illness, Death, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Grief, Gun violence, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, and Murder
Minor: Mental illness, Misogyny, Slavery, Death of parent, Colonisation, Cursing, Violence, Bullying, Antisemitism, War, and Medical content
sassmistress's review against another edition
5.0
Favorite fictional father so far! Just wow. And the slow unfolding of events as understood by a child overhearing things and not fully grasping the implications of situations is just perfection.
Graphic: Death, Murder, Addiction, Chronic illness, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Classism, Domestic abuse, Rape, Violence, Racism, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
Moderate: Incest, Animal death, Sexism, Death of parent, Misogyny, Ableism, Confinement, Drug use, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Slavery, Stalking, and Terminal illness
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Suicide, and War
This book is for adults. It centers around a rape trial in which a black man is (falsely) accused of assaulting a white woman in a heavily segregated Alabama town.It's deeply immersive, in a culture where racism is woven into the culture and impossible to avoid. The KKK and the "War Between the States" are part of recent cultural memory. Black defendants are always convicted no matter what. Lynching and mob violence are a very near threat.
Expectedly, the n-word abounds, among other racial slurs. Other language is not infrequent, including he**, g-d-, b****, wh*re, d**n, sl*t, etc. Lord's name in vain quite a few times.
Lots of death--not gory, but as close as it gets without actually witnessing it. Old age, and talk of the body being carried out of the home. Death penalty discussed often. A man dies:
Domestic violence:
Morphine addiction is discussed and withdrawals are shown.
Both respectable and "unrespectable" poverty are shown.
Schoolyard bullying and fights, neighborhood verbal abuse and gossip about many culturally relevant "deficiencies" like unladylikeness, mental illness, intellectual disability, not being sufficiently racist, etc.
Lots of portrayals of Christianity. Some are good, including the nearest relationships to the MC, but many are not. A neighbor reports that a different sort of baptist told her she was going to hell, MC loses "confidence in pulpit gospel" when thinking on what a good person the neighbor is. "Foot-washers think women are a sin by definition. They take the Bible literally, you know." The ladies' missionary society talks about global cultures with pity and exaggeration, often conflating spiritual issues with cultural differences. A white employer tells her black housekeeper she's not being a good Christian when she is visibly affected by a serious injustice in the local community and nearly fired her for it. Etc, many more.
Other spiritual content: Kids spook each other with talk of spirits on dirt roads. "Dill was a villain's villain: he could get into any character part assigned him, and appear tall if height was part of the devilry required. "
Besides the rape trial and moderately explicit testimony, which includes brief mention of domestic SA, there's other, more minor sexual content. Incest in local families is mentioned very specifically a few times. There's a quick joke about infidelity. Kids lie and say they were playing strip poker, which gets them into trouble (less because they played with matches instead of cards). There's a "swift" kid kiss, and a boy climbs into bed with a girl he keeps promising to marry some day, but it's platonic.
"I'll tan you" and many other such comments, severe corporal punishment for children being an expected part of the culture. Kids laugh when the teacher gives "quick little pats" on the hand when they realize it was meant to be a "whipping".
plsnotanotherdamselindistress's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
It really took some time getting into the story as the first person narrator is not all knowing but the story gets told from the subjective perspective of a little girl.
But the choice of the narrator was also great because you do not just take on the opinion of the person that narrates the story and it realistically portrays how little children deal with such societal issues as in racism or sexism plus as this book covers years the development of Scout's character is really interesting.
I especially liked the variety of opinions and characters introduced as it represents society (then and now).
So even though this book was written years ago and about the early 2000s these themes are still current and thus the teachings are quite important and helpful.
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, and Classism
Minor: Police brutality, Addiction, Domestic abuse, and Bullying
felicityvaughn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
pabi's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Blood, Classism, Racism, Rape, and Stalking
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Addiction
m4rtt4's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Hate crime, Death, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Confinement, Sexism, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Alcohol, and Misogyny
Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Death of parent, and Slavery
elspethmigliore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
there’s so many layers to this story and so much to unpack, so i’ll just say that i genuinely enjoyed it. i know it’s controversial, but i really did like it. i laughed and cried and i think it was very reflective in many ways. the character development was incredible, but also i guess that’s the point of the story. the way scout reflects on her story at the end from a different perspective gave me a very strong sense of completeness. i’m sad after reading this, but also i feel ready to go into my english class tomorrow and reflect on it.
definitely a reread ✅
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Cursing, Bullying, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Classism, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Grief, Death, and Suicide
Minor: Violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Addiction, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Child abuse
vickeyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I loved loved reading this book, and this book was my favorite to read in English the year I read it. It was easy for me to follow despite a lot happening in the chapters. At times I did not find Scout to be all that likable but I really liked her character development. And seeing Jem’s character development was tragic but made sense due to his empathetic nature.
I really enjoyed the antiracist themes of it as it not only relates to the books own setting, and the time the book was written but even our own time today as police brutality and other racist systems still exist in America today.
I think my favorite characters in this book either have to be Atticus, Boo Radley, or Miss Maudie.
With Atticus I find him to be a great role model for the kids showing how a caring human being should act as he teaches scout the idea of “walking in another person’s shoes”. And is a great role model by staying true to his own values to not only infront of his kids but to an entire court. And he breaks many societal norms by being a single dad raising his kids.
I loved Miss Maudie as she is a generally caring individual for Scout and the other kids. And seeing the entire community come together when her house was on fire is a testament to how kind of a person she is. Also Scout looks up to her and Maudie herself breaks many codes regarding gender as she tends to wear “men’s clothes” as it’s more convenient for when she upkeeps her flower garden. And Scout sees this and wears similar clothing and views Miss Maudie as a comforting character.
Boo Radley is such an interesting character, he is a mysterious character because he is shut-in himself.
Overall a great book would recommend to anyone interested in social issues to read it!!
Graphic: Grief, Kidnapping, Racism, Racial slurs, and Hate crime
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Addiction, Drug use, and Rape
Minor: Death of parent