Reviews tagging 'Violence'

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

175 reviews

sophisticotton's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

After loving Sorrowland last year, I tried this. I really enjoy Solomon’s writing, and while I liked this less, I was fine with being swept away on the journey even when I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Torture

Moderate: Rape

gingerale06's review against another edition

I entirely recognize the importance of afrofuturism and all the themes included in this book, but I just could not find myself becoming interested in the plot. The pacing felt off and the plot just did not grip me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Medical content, and Violence

hannah_a_r_teatalksbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

3.5

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding in this book; conceptually, it was fascinating. However, sometimes mysteries were picked up and set down again for reasons that escaped me. One example is the place where Lune's notes were stored, which seemed like it could have been much more developed. The resolution of the mystery of Lune's disappearance was anticlimactic,

and I was also very confused about the insistence the book had that she slit her throat, when there was no body and we never find out what happened

. Mostly, I was just unprepared for the incessant sexual violence in the book. There is so much sexual violence. It made the book hard to read, and not in the "this is hard but good/important for me" way, but in the "yes, we get it already, women of the Lowerdecks are raped incessantly, yes, I understand the problems inherent in this society and how it represents our own past and present, we've now passed the point where it develops theme, character, and plot and is just beating me up" sort of way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Child death, Confinement, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Murder, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Classism, Grief, Police brutality, Racism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, and Sexual assault

Minor: Incest and Pedophilia

florapatricia's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

This book is very unique and for the longest time it didn't make much sense to me.
It was just interesting enough for me to want to keep reading.
It payed off, and turned out to be a very special book about human connection and space travel.
Ultimately a good read :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Racism, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Transphobia

mostlyvoidpartiallystars's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book is incredible, thought-provoking, and devastating. There's a mix of terrifying worldbuilding, fascinating characters, mysterious plot, and deep emotional resonance. Make SURE to read the content warnings, though - it's a very heavy book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Rape, Medical content, Racism, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Death, Child death, Torture, Sexual violence, Ableism, Violence, and Gun violence

stephanielee's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

I listened to this on Audiobook and the narrator was amazing. Aster is a very interesting character and the things that she does intentionally and unintentionally helps us see who she is as a person. I do wish there were a few more loose ends tied up in the end (some are sort of discussed but not fully) but 10/10 recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Racism, Violence, and Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual assault

tifftastic87's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

Beautifully dark and depressing. With a small light in the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Confinement, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Death, Mental illness, Slavery, Suicide, and Abortion

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Cursing, Dysphoria, Rape, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Bullying

courtsport3000's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

4.5

 Very unique sci-fi featuring a creative world that combines the drama of inequitable class structures with the mysteries of space travel. Engaging and diverse characters representing so many varied communities. I personally loved the mc's unapologetic attitude toward their own queerness and neurodivergence.

Also worth noting that the audiobook performance is phenomenal.

If this book is up your alley, you've got to check out the novella Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa next. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Medical content, Confinement, and Abortion

Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual content

pinkalpaca's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Sexual violence

twistmalchik's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Child death, Rape, Violence, Transphobia, Ableism, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Police brutality, Medical content, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Moderate: Torture, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence