Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

8 reviews

maladaptivebookdreaming's review against another edition

dark hopeful informative mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

When No One is Watching is a psychological thriller that tackles the reality of gentrification in a historical black neighborhood in Brooklyn, with the protagonist Sydney fighting to save her neighborhood. Although I found the pacing slow, it is undeniable the talent Alyssa Cole possesses with her writing. The story doesn’t pick up until the end, but the beginning and middle were not written in vain. The amount of information Cole sets up about the historical racism that is affecting Gifford Place residents and surrounding black communities is imperative. Especially for anyone NOT aware that these events are everyday life for many Black and other marginalized communities. 

I was a little thrown off by her love interest being white, but after reading I realize that in the context of this novel it makes sense. This story although with its horrible twists and turns serves an important purpose: breaking the pattern set up but colonization and historical racism. What starts as a melancholy narration of Sydney’s neighborhood ends with a message of hope and poetic justice. Would definitely recommend to anyone interested! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Alcohol, Racism, Mental illness, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Violence, Chronic illness, Racial slurs, and Death of parent

vaguely_pink's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Police brutality, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Classism, and Death

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Infidelity, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Hate crime

Minor: Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Suicide, Vomit, Confinement, Dementia, Deportation, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Chronic illness, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Racial slurs, and Sexual content

kumquats87's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Colonisation, Murder, Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Cursing, Grief, Alcohol, Confinement, Hate crime, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Slavery, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Kidnapping, Medical content, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Misogyny

Minor: Police brutality, Vomit, Infidelity, and Homophobia

kayesomething's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Murder

Minor: Grief and Chronic illness

katiemack's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I've read several reviews that take issue with Cole's heavy-handedness regarding the effects of gentrification and the behavior of the white folks in the neighborhood. Honestly, though, that's the part that felt the strongest in the book--I appreciate the amount of research Cole did into the history of redlining, particularly in Brooklyn, and that she doesn't shy away from its destructive effects. It's also a great reminder that America was colonized and that it was not "uninhabited" at its founding; rather, the land was stolen from the Native Americans who already lived there.

While the background and theory behind the book are both strong, the pacing was uneven; the execution didn't work as well for me as I thought it would--it starts off slow and then goes off the rails the last 25% or so. The romance between Sydney and Theo is fine but, like many works of romantic suspense, it didn't feel essential. This was exacerbated by the fact that the reader doesn't get much insight into their lives; instead, Cole will drop bombshells about their past without clarifying them.

It's a quick read and, again, I learned a lot. If you've enjoyed Alyssa Cole's work in the past, this one is worth picking up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Racial slurs, Chronic illness, and Death of parent

danajoy's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Medical content

Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Slavery, and Violence

Minor: Excrement

whatcassiedid's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

A spooky horror take on gentrification

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Forced institutionalization

zombiezami's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Alyssa Cole, who simply cannot pick a slay, has come for my edges yet again. I was so haunted and enthralled by this book the whole way through. As with her other books, this was very well researched. I also genuinely didn't know what was going to happen throughout. I do hope that this gets turned into a movie or TV show. I just loved this so much. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Racism, and Torture

Moderate: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia

Minor: Vomit and Excrement

Gentrification,

Suicide

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Mass shooting

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Financial abuse

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Medical racism

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Gaslighting

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Emotional abuse