Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon

17 reviews

endemictoearth's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

This one is a tough read. I had to pause for a while in the middle, but managed to power through one sad patch to make it to many more tense and sad moments. 

There was a real 'wowie zowie' Paul Zindel-esque quality to this book set in the summer of 1973. I would be interested to hear what younger audiences thought about that aspect of the book. (Especially as I don't think many kids these days are reading Zindel.)

I did cry a couple times; it's really hard not to. Jonathan is in a real tough situation, and meeting Web, his love interest, only makes it tougher. Web is Native American and we get a lot about that, much of it being slurs from white townsfolk, which is hard to read, though no doubt how it was.

Definitely check out the content warnings for this book before reading it, to make sure you're in the right frame of mind.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, and Death of parent

earth_to_mars's review

dark emotional hopeful 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? No

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Police brutality

Minor: Drug use

miloblue's review

challenging dark emotional sad 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

3.75

This book was super hard. There’s a lot of violence and self-harm and racism and internalized homophobia. That said, it is set at a super interesting and important time in queer history… and by extension American history.  Though fictional, it’s a part of history that we didn’t really study in school, and that certainly adds some context. 

There is also a lot of music and pop-culture woven through the book, with the main characters listening to a lot of records and finding affinity with David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Aladdin Sane, among other albums.

As of this writing I’m giving it 3.75 stars, and I’m really not sad that I read it, but it’s a heavy one, to be sure.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism and Self harm

Minor: Sexual violence, Police brutality, and Murder

thekissballad's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

*Check trigger / content warnings before reading.*

I really liked this book and felt like I was experiencing the struggle and growth and self-acceptance along with Jonathan. It's a rough but beautiful journey.

I just didn't entirely like the writing style. All the 70's / hippy references and how the characters sometimes talked got on my nerves really quickly. The multiplewordsasonelongword and the onomatopoeia was way overdone and started to feel forced "for the vibes" instead of being an actual representation of the era.

I also disliked all the homophobic and racist language and actions, but understand it was needed to give an accurate representation of what Jonathan and Web would have gone through. Still don't have to like it, though.

Overall, I highly recommend as long as none of the content is triggering to you. Like I said, look up warnings before reading.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

the_true_monroe's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring 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? No

4.25

This book was intense, sad (yet funny), and beautiful. I think despite how much was accomplished and complete/ resolved (and by complete/ resolved, I don’t mean ‘all is well and good’ but ‘okay, that answers that’) I felt there were many other characters I wanted to hear from again. I just feel like there were abrupt ‘tie-offs’ to a few side characters.  

I think the variety of reactions to Jonathan and Web’s stories allows most queer people to relate on some level but it is really interesting to view with the historical and cultural lenses which are more specific to the characters, location and time period. 

I have recently come to love queer historical fiction and books like this are why.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, Genocide, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Suicide, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Cultural appropriation

eloise_vi's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Colonisation

wilms_rudi's review

emotional hopeful inspiring 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Alcohol

Minor: Police brutality

asmodeous's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Outing

Minor: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Toxic friendship

fankidrachel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Death of parent

careinthelibrary's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

This came recommended to me by a coworker. I really liked the historical setting which lent itself to a lot of the issues and topics covered by the author.
The main character was likeable and I loved the addition of pop culture and music references. 
I'm not Indigenous or Two-Spirit so I can't speak to whether the representation will ring true and authentic to folks who are, but I think the author tried to be inclusive and respectful of their experiences without stepping on toes and depicting it too intimately.
It's a sweet love story with lots of dark content but a hopeful ending. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Police brutality and War

conversion "therapy"