Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Mes coups seront mes mots by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam

60 reviews

kryskross's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Police brutality

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

reading this book was an experience. punching the air is neither too plot- nor character-driven - amal and the tide of his days and life are instead driven along by the oppressive system - but the emotions it's able to evoke from the reader are sth else.

zoboi and salaam masterfully use the verse form to their advantage, visually depicting the oppressiveness and sense of being trapped deeply felt by amal and many black boys and men everywhere under the american prison industrial complex. how the system and the white ppl who both consciously and inadvertently uphold it are illustrated w/ nuance and a keen eye, their ignorance and racism so ingrained they arent even aware of the power of their words or actions, and all of it maddening esp in the juvie setting. this book's also abt art and its power, and the structure and incorporation of drawing and many visual elements rly complement the aforementioned themes. 

tbh the novel's content and msg arent anything unfamiliar, but i think what truly makes it unique is the whole absorbing experience the one feels reading it. the emotions it evokes are near total, and one feels strongly connected to amal and what he's going thru. perhaps the fact that salaam himself has been thru the very same thing as amal has sth to do w/ it, and he's able to channel it all very well here. 

overall, this is a very emotionally absorbing and powerful book. it's not rly plot-heavy but its form and structure are surprisingly effective and impactful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Confinement, and Police brutality

Moderate: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Violence

space_bandit's review against another edition

emotional informative 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Racism

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

stekka__'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective 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

4.25

An amazing book! Written in an interesting style that was easy to get through but kept you interested from star t to end. Loved this inspiring story about injustice and race:)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Cursing and Hate crime

Minor: Death of parent

iheartm4m's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Violence

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Physical abuse, Gore, and Blood

atlas_likes_to_read's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

This was a beautifully written story that I had to give five stars. Initially, I was going to give a 4.75, but the fact this is based partially on true events makes it even more heartbreaking and pushes it up to five stars. Amal is a fantastically mapped out character and Yusef is so strong for everything he's been through and so amazing for all he's achieved. I recommend this book to everyone, especially those who are uneducated on the justice system, and to black youth trying to find their way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Police brutality

black writers, diversity, incarceration, poetry, art, strong main characters, black youth, POC, creative

thyroyalreader's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Racism

Moderate: Gun violence, Cursing, Violence, and Classism

birkenstonk's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Racism

brookey8888's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

4.5

Wow was very good. I honestly had no clue what this was about when I picked it up, I just recognized the author. This is such an important story that everyone should read. It does discuss hard, but important topics so be prepared. Some of the poems(?) gave me goosebumps. The reason it’s a 4.5 is because it did take me a while to get used to the verse and kind of connect with the story, but once I did I couldn’t put this down. Highly recommend! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Confinement, Racism, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Hate crime

anniereads221's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Grief, Slavery, and Hate crime

Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, and Islamophobia