Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

8 reviews

gotnoculture's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Child abuse, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Death, Hate crime, Violence, Murder, Torture, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Blood, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Medical content, Sexual assault, Grief, and Addiction

Minor: Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Abandonment

tigerkind's review against another edition

dark informative sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child abuse, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Confinement, Child death, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Murder, Bullying, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Rape, Medical content, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Slavery, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Death

Minor: Death of parent, War, and Excrement

davianareads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Murder, Rape, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Racism, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Abandonment, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Drug abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Hate crime, Bullying, and Addiction

babieyunie's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Bullying, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Violence, Racism, and Confinement

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, and Sexual harassment

smblanc1793's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

Absolutely heartwrenching, but it’s difficult to say how much of that comes purely from the book’s subject matter and how much of it can be attributed to Whitehead himself. 

Not the best written book I’ve ever read, but certainly far from the worst. The characters are well developed for the relatively short length of the book, the plot is solid and harrowing, and the major themes threaded throughout feel, unfortunately, as relevant as ever. What pushed this book above 4 stars for me, though, was the end—a reveal I certainly didn’t see coming and a twist that, in my mind, cemented Whitehead as not just telling a good story, but as a good storyteller.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Addiction, Murder, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Torture, and Violence

If I were to add all the necessary content warnings we’d be here all day. It’s about a black juvie circa-1960s. You can guess what kind of horrors go down.

bookcaptivated's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism

lake's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Death, Cursing, and Racism

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, and Homophobia

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Medical content, and Drug abuse

pandagirlmb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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: Child abuse, Violence, Torture, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Death

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Homophobia, Gun violence, and Addiction