Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Brillo by Raven Leilani

73 reviews

chloebethx_'s review against another edition

dark 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

4.75

I was conflicted going into this because I had read many mixed reviews of the harsh and sometimes vulgar ways in which Raven Leilani describes the life of Evie, but, I completely disagree! This story felt real, honest and appropriately sobering, the main characters graphic language was used at appropriate times and it all served to make Evie feel like a well-formed and fully developed character! I loved this book and the only reason for it not to have the full five stars is because some chapters felt too long and drawn out, but still engaging along the way so I couldn’t deduct too much!  A new favourite for sure

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Excrement, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence

biancaaabrown's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-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

4.0

I think this book was definitely a challenging read, not lexically at all but semantically. It hurts to see a somewhat innocent woman in pain, especially when black. Raven Leilani writes raw, and doesn’t hold back and almost prods too sharply into your own wounds as a young black woman. Leilani frames city life as fearsome, love as hopeless and unrequited on all ends, and sadness as an inevitable border around all of the above. The fiction of this text is its own hope in my life at least, but a distant cry goes out to those for which this is less fictional.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Classism, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Infidelity, Addiction, Abortion, Violence, Police brutality, Miscarriage, and Drug use

aquariusvintage's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Abortion, Racial slurs, and Racism

sib_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Medical content, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Eating disorder, Pedophilia, Rape, Infertility, Addiction, Grief, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, and Physical abuse

flossiepalmer's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense 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

4.0

Luster is beautifully written and beautifully complex in its depiction of both romantic and platonic relationships. The protagonist and her flaws is the focal point of the book, her insecurities driving her to make impulsive, destructive decisions which continue to leave you hanging at the turn of every page. As the story develops, you as a reader are left not entirely sure what to expect, and the atmosphere within the book is tense, teetering on the edge of complete disaster. This really was a page-turner and a perfect read for those who enjoy complex relationships, miscommunication and character-driven plots.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, and Abortion

Minor: Blood

kateflood's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug use and Animal death

rebelred7's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexual violence

sachimi's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Violence, and Racism

kierathorne's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

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

2.75

Often the languid descriptions would detract from what was going on in the story. Sometimes I just didn't know what was going on at all. Sometimes it fit so well though and I wish it was always like that.
Overall I think I went in with the expectation of romance or erotica but it was nothing of the sort.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Police brutality, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Death of parent, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Murder

bxs's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Minor: Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Stalking