Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

38 reviews

saucy_bookdragon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

“Motherhood was, by nature, a thing you did alone.”

A gripping story that dives into the psyche of a killer and the women he impacted. It tackles questions around topics such as law enforcement and the death penalty with complexity. It’s a tragedy that constantly has the reader questioning the inevitability of it all and how should justice actually work.

The character work is the standout. Everyone has such strong motives and richness to them so that the themes aren’t abstract, they’re palpable problems the cast grapples with. A mother who had to destroy her family to save herself, a sister who knows something is wrong, and a police officer trying to create justice in an inherently broken, unjust system.

The choice to tell the killer’s chapters from second person was fascinating. By putting the reader in his shoes, it emphasizes the fact that humans are the ones who commit atrocities, not monsters. This does an exceptional job of making him complex and real while not downplaying any of his horrendous actions. It also makes the questions around justice that much more relevant.

Both empathetic and terrifying, Notes on an Execution surely had me making odd faces as I listened to the ending in public. No one aware that I was listening to something so mind bending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Murder, Grief, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Sexism, Police brutality, Hate crime, and Racism

haileyeh's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Confinement, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Death, Murder, Stalking, Violence, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Animal cruelty, Medical trauma, and Grief

Moderate: Medical content, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Car accident, Child death, Racism, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

Minor: Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Vomit, Alcoholism, Islamophobia, and Alcohol

kaitlouise94's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Child abuse, Abandonment, and Misogyny

sweetbean's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

This book deserves a 5 star for the ending alone. So often we focus on men who commit crimes, ignoring the woman and people they harm and their perspectives. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Animal death, and Murder

Minor: Sexism and Racism

samantha_06x's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Rape, Death, Pregnancy, and Murder

Moderate: Grief and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racism

scifi_rat's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Stalking, Sexual assault, Violence, Animal death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Grief, Murder, Animal cruelty, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Police brutality, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

5.0

This book was an absolute stunner. The writing was beautiful and the structure of the storytelling was just *so* the right way to do it that I felt spoiled with every page. Every character felt extremely real to me both in good and bad ways. This book asked so many questions and challenged me with every new piece of information. I loved the focus on the women affected by the main character's actions in this story as opposed to just the pov of the perpetrator and the themes that surrounded them. This was the most solid read that I've read in a long time. Absolutely brilliant.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Misogyny, Sexual content, Body horror, Car accident, Death, Grief, Murder, Racism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Stalking

kananineko's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

3.5

I think this book was very well written and very well done, if a little shallow. Every perspective felt necessary and added to the story, and I really enjoyed the focus on victims and women in the story of a male serial killer, but... I feel like it could've dived deeper into the themes, and honestly, not much happened. Dare I say it was a little boring and forgettable... Keep in mind that crime/thriller isn’t my usual genre (I don’t enjoy these types of books as much as other people do). However, it was still an important book. I did shed a tear in the last chapter, which is rare. I also wish Lavendar had more chapters. Overall, I'd consider it a good book, though. The writing was phenomenal as well. I'm glad this book was written but it wasn't anything out of this world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Sexual content, Grief, Abandonment, Murder, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Racism, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Incest, and Xenophobia

charlereads's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Death, Addiction, Medical content, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Body horror, Murder, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Domestic abuse

sangsmiles's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Animal death, Police brutality, Violence, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Racism