Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

9 reviews

mayze's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

A great book set in New York City  between the late 50s to the mid 60s. 

The main character is a black man who owns a furniture shop and like most Americans of his time is chasing The Dream by doing things by the book, eventually realising there's little to no chance for a man like him to achieve it that way. 

The book then follows the main character trying to keep his head above water while outside forces are pulling him down (sometimes he dives willingly too).

This book was my introduction to Colson Whitehead and really liked this book and have since bought the sequel to this book and got his critically acclaimed "The Underground Railroad" which I add a review here later

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Murder, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Blood, Classism, Death, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, and Torture

mummyzz's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Murder, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Racial slurs

Minor: Domestic abuse, Grief, Blood, Child abuse, and Cursing

alisonvh's review

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.5

I’m not a huge fan of the fact that the plot was more like three separate stories than one overarching plot. But his writing is so beautiful I can’t help but love it. And he is good at including phrases throughout the book that tie all three stories together.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Torture, Racial slurs, Cursing, Classism, Blood, Hate crime, Death, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Drug use, Racism, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Infidelity and Kidnapping

reggiethebird's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

A really well crafted vibe throughout the whole book. Colson Whitehead has a great voice than can really get you lost in the world at times. Sort of a lazy recollection type feel to the whole thing deal, with some really nice sentences that jump out at you every few pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, Addiction, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Police brutality, Sexual content, Blood, Bullying, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Gun violence, and Torture

Minor: Child abuse, Grief, and Antisemitism

rmgilchrist's review

adventurous challenging emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Drug use, Death of parent, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Murder, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence

bjerz's review

challenging dark informative sad tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Violence, Murder, Racism, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Racial slurs

litliz's review

adventurous challenging 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, and Police brutality

Moderate: Death of parent and Forced institutionalization

wrestleacademic's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Murder, Blood, Racial slurs, and Racism

davidrb's review

adventurous emotional funny 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

STRONG, STRONG contender for my favorite book of the year, and certainly for my favorite published this year. Wonderfully paced, dryly funny, and with such a tight grasp on story and plot. I came out of it way more emotional than I banked for. The Count of Monte Cristo references...wow!

Savored every minute.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Violence

There's a scene midway through the book that veers close to rape and will likely trigger people who are affected by sexual assault.