Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

12 reviews

panickat123's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

4.5

This plot twist was so good 😱 I’m honestly probably just slow and didn’t see it coming which Happens a lot with thriller/mysteries but damn this book got me. Loved it. Also on audio, it has all the bg noises like doorbells, phone chimes, knocks, all incorporated into it and that was new for an audiobook and it really brings you into the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Child death, Grief, Classism, Murder, and Racism

Moderate: Rape, Abortion, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Suicide, Alcohol, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Blood

readtomea97's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

I can genuinely say this book threw me a bunch of curveballs. Every time I thought I figured it out, something new was presented and threw me off track. I had a hunch from the beginning who would be at fault but I let a lot of the other details get me off track. I was punching the air mad at Tinsley’s mom, mean girls Giselle and Lana, and everyone who did Nova wrong throughout this book. Thank goodness for closure and learning to unlearn the bad habits you’ve been taught.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Death, Cursing, Classism, Hate crime, Grief, Gaslighting, and Bullying

Moderate: Racism, Incest, and Abortion

jaz_gets_literary's review

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Please go over the trigger warnings before starting this book as it may be triggering to some. 

I really enjoyed this book. I thought I had the who done it figured out and I was shocked when it was actually revealed. I did figure out a few things along the way but the actual person had me like 😳 lots of important talking points in this book. Police brutality, racism, classism, and more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Abortion, Murder, Rape, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, and Grief

Minor: Suicide, Chronic illness, and Racial slurs

sistaharlem's review

challenging mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Classism

almirareads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.75

The Black Queen has PLOT TWISTS GALORE, which I particularly loved. What I don’t think I loved too much is how they tried to make the end this “happily ever after” scenario where Tinsley doesn’t take super long to unlearn all of the racism that comes from her whiteness mixed with her class…which is A LOT. I also disliked how you can kinda tell, especially when looking at how Duchess speaks, that there wasn’t enough research done on lesbian slang, and Jumata opts instead to use queer men slang, which, there is definitely a difference. Also we don’t hear much from Nova’s mom. That’s probably by design, but damn, I’d have loved to hear a bit more from her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Blood, Murder, Classism, Death, and Police brutality

Moderate: Death of parent

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.5

This wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was hoping for and I wouldn't say it was good. I liked the reveal of the killer. I didn't care to follow Tinsley for the majority of the book. It was a story with potential but the execution, with the exception of the reveal, was quite meh for me. It was so focused on the redemption of the white girl (and the scandals of the white people in the book) I feel it lost what should be one of the takeaways- black girls/women being the victims of society and how everyone needs to do better so it doesn't keep happening. So would've preferred more focus on the black characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Grief, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Racism, Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, Rape, and Sexual violence

lesseraliterary's review

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious 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

3.0

the story was interesting and the mystery was intriguing but you could tell this was a black story written for a white audience… this was more about tinsley and her dealing with her white guilt and unconscious bias than the actual murder and scandals that happened 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Bullying, and Death

Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Infidelity, and Vomit

jillianelis_'s review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

I had been waiting for this book for a LONG time, so I was thrilled that I got an advance copy and didn’t have to wait on my library’s hold  list! 

The Black Queen absolutely lived up to my expectations. While I kind of figured out the killer really early on, the story still had me on the edge of my seat! Nova slightly reminded me of Laura Palmer from Twin Peaks (murdered homecoming Queen who was full of secrets), and I wish we got to see more of her in life before she died. I would absolutely read a book about Nova’s life because I wanted to know more about her, her life in Virginia, how she became friends with Duchess, etc. All of the characters felt very real and fleshed out as well, and the handling of difficult topics was both sensitive and honest at every turn. I can’t wait to read whatever Jumata Emill writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Racism, Violence, Murder, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Cancer, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, and Infidelity

Minor: Police brutality and Abortion

ashylibrarian's review

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

Was this book perfect? No. Is it a book young adult readers will eat up? I believe so. 

There was a lot happening in this book. The plot starts really strong in the beginning with the rivalry between Nova and Tinsley. Jumata Emill does a good job setting up the characters...well, characters. Nova is strong, determined, and confident while Tinsley is over-privileged, expectant, and crass. 

The killer was "easy" to assume and some of the events were predictable, however, I think Emill added so many subplots and twists and turns to the story that it kept things interesting and definitely made me think, more than once, "am I wrong about who I think did it?"

Though this book does come with its flaws and imperfections, I think young adult readers will enjoy the high-speed murder mystery and the conversations, lessons, and themes throughout. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Bullying, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Classism

imstephtacular's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Classism, Police brutality, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Child abuse, Gun violence, Bullying, Cancer, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abortion, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Cultural appropriation