Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

32 reviews

potatokao's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

a difficult and necessary read. it took me a while to get through the book in all honesty. the pain, frustration, and betrayal in having his life taken from roy, wrongfully convicted. parts of celeste's life  taken along with roy's. it's never just one person, but a community affected

the book was written so well, the letter format and the perspective change was very effective in communicating their thoughts, emotions, and actions, their similarities and differences.

painful to witness in the last few scenes.

the ways he changed by his release and how he almost became the criminal the system labeled him as. he needed to be seen again and celeste wasnt the person for that nor was it her responsibility.

to me, a main theme of this book was family and more specifically fatherhood. what it means to be a black father. for roy’s father, for celeste’s father, and even andre’s father. to feel their love and support, their indifference and rejection, in presence and in absence. 

the book starts and ends very intensely. take time and care reading this. i picked it up after someone called it a new american classic and i must agree. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Racism

Moderate: Rape

gracer0sew's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Abortion, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

kcarney86's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad fast-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: Infidelity

Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Abortion

Minor: Misogyny, Death of parent, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Sexism

mandi4886's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Cancer

Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Classism, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, and Slavery

kayesomething's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Infidelity, Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape, Cancer, Abortion, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual violence, Death of parent, Police brutality, and Homophobia

oraygano's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Beautifully written, with a good mix of plot development and jumping in the timeline with flashbacks

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Police brutality, Suicide, and Violence

sonyareadsbooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Cancer, Violence, and Sexism

Minor: Police brutality, Death, and Death of parent

meghanvolkman's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Police brutality

Moderate: Abortion, Cancer, and Racism

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

I haven’t been so moved by a book in a long time. The complexities of life and love are reflected in the pages of this novel in such a sincere and emotional way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Racism

Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Infidelity, Rape, and Suicide

biblio__therapy's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Slavery, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Physical abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Cancer, and Abortion