Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Stealing by Margaret Verble

13 reviews

sjanke2's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Religious bigotry, Animal death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Racism, Classism, Genocide, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Addiction, and Alcoholism

gwenswoons's review

challenging dark informative sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

burnourhistory's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Terminal illness, Murder, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Blood, Animal death, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

kteq's review

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

4.25

I could’ve read decades more journal entries by Kit and it would still feel like not enough.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia

Minor: Death of parent and Murder

katrinky's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense

3.5

the most telling thing about this book for me was the acknowledgements section,where verble said she wrote this book in 2006-2007 but held onto it for years because non-native readers and editors didn't know what Indian residential schools were and couldn't fathom the depth of their depravity; that what happened to kit at one was too much of a break from verble's otherwise crystal clear, realistic writing style. so the publication of this book was really only made possible by the horror of discovery by white folks in the last 5-10 years that she had not actually been exaggerating in the slightest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Racism, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Gun violence, and Grief

cassidy_rain's review

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

I have mixed feelings about this. It was a bit slow for me (I generally go for something faster paced and with more suspense or mystery so that could be my own issue!). It’s really devastating hearing everything that Kit goes through, at such a young age. The story is told through the eyes of the main character who is a child. She’s an unreliable narrator and some chapters can feel a bit confusing/the story jumps around. Of course this makes sense because a child is telling the story, which I found to be both frustrating and also insightful to see how she experiences the world and the events happening around her. From the description I was expecting to focus more on her time at the school, which didn’t seem to be the case. Check triggers!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent and Murder

fiberreader's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Racism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Death of parent

rachelle_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Wow. I went into this book expecting a lot of residential school horror. That was there. But the bigger story was the compelling point of view of the young protagonist, an elementary school student (3rd-4th grade) trying to make sense of the world around her during a whole lot of family turmoil and grownups disagreeing on what’s in her best interest. 

I was especially drawn into the exploration of when to push back against oppressive systems/people and when to accept them quietly, although not willingly. 

I will be reflecting on this book for a long time to come and seeking out more by this author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia and Child abuse

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Death of parent

lcg527's review

dark emotional sad tense 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Terminal illness

dominmuenster's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual assault

Minor: Death of parent