Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Home by Toni Morrison

11 reviews

mamaofperfectpayton's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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? Yes

3.75

The story was metaphorical, so the Reading Group Guide at the end was very helpful in bringing the story together.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death, Child death, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Minor: War

michaelion's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.25

Very fast read. Would've been faster if I didn't have finals rn. Wonderful writing as always. I just couldn't resonate with this one.

I know the takeaway isn't "War is so bad it can briefly turn you into a pedophile" but that's all I keep thinking. :/

If not for that my rating may have been a little higher.

Side note unrelated to my review mostly just related to my observing of Toni Morrison's books, so many of her female characters are ambivalent or numb towards sex. I wonder why that is.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Racism, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Police brutality, Classism, Animal cruelty, Violence, Misogyny, and Pedophilia

Minor: Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, and Fire/Fire injury

heather_leighbros's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.0

This book is impeccably written. I found it to be a harrowing story about the realities of generational trauma due to slavery/racism, as well a portraying the symptoms of PTSD in a seamless and impactful way to help dissolve some of the stigma around this diagnosis. While I found this book to be very much worth the read, I rated it three stars because my star system is based of how much I enjoyed a book, this one left me somber and was not a comfort read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Slavery, Racism, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Gun violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Infertility, and War

sohva's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

A beautiful book, very vivid. Felt a bit short, but maybe it was good that way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Child death, and Medical trauma

alexchig's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

Toni Morrison is certainly the most humanist writer I have ever read. Although her characters partake in some disgusting acts, she does not pass any judgement on them. She also weaves these two narratives together so well, with the stories connecting to the overall theme beautifully. Despite the shortness of this novella, she manages to bring up so many different societal issues and to write characters that are quite three dimensional. While I prefer her longer works, Home still has the heart that I expect from a Toni Morrison novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Child death, Racism, Violence, and Gun violence

abigailgross's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Death, Death of parent, Rape, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual violence

ajlct's review

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

3.5

This one's squarely in the 'glad I read it, but probably will never read it again' category. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and War

Moderate: Abortion and Alcoholism

remie's review against another edition

dark reflective relaxing slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Murder, Religious bigotry, War, Child death, Classism, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, and Domestic abuse

rkorevenge's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

Everything Toni Morrison has ever written should be mandatory reading. Check trigger warnings- very heavy content. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, War, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Classism

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

my second toni morrison book and the conclusion is maybe we just dont click??

home def has its moments, and its portrayal of jim crow era racism is jarring and realistic--one cant simply read it and not feel even a smidgen of disgust or despair--and a reminder of the horror and abomination of that time. the depiction of a traumatized vet, the hyprocrisy of american society and army, the community and camaraderie among black folks, and cee's & frank's character developments are major positives as well.

however, i couldnt rly connect to the characters, thus my subtle disassociation from them and their plight, rendering my reading experience sth of a frequent stop and start w/o any distinct emotional beat--and emotional impact just happens to be sth i highly value in my reading. this isnt a bad book by any means--it's by toni morrison, for god's sake--but it's not rly my cup of tea.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Racism, Violence, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

Minor: Racial slurs, Death of parent, and Infertility