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leslie_overbookedsocialworker's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Bullying, Racism, Confinement, Body horror, Death, Child death, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault
tigerkind's review against another edition
- 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
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
allagainforart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Favorite parts: The MLK Jr. quotes and the way that Elwood attempts to apply / interpret them, the relationships between Elwood and his grandmother and Elwood and Turner, the way the author includes seemingly “friendly” white people who are anything but that as soon as the boys step out of line (Harper is the one who ultimately shoots Elwood) (obviously didn’t “like” this part but found the “betrayal” to be realistic since Harper was very much part of the status quo of the school)
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Rape, Child abuse, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Death, Child death, Homophobia, Medical content, Outing, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Gun violence, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, and Vomit
lexichrist578's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
vivboyd98's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Body horror, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault and Adult/minor relationship
miachalupa's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Torture
rsteve388's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
Graphic: Physical abuse and Sexual violence
Moderate: Body horror
gm_vak's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
nibs's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was painful to read, but I knew that going in. It is so well-crafted - it could be twice the length if it wanted to be, there are so many stories to tell and the characters are so fleshed out - but condensing it makes it pack more of a punch. Elwood's fierce hope in people and justice is so relatable and powerful, with the words of Dr Martin Luther King Jnr echoing through his head. But we also relate to Turner's lack of trust in anyone, since when the world is against you that seems to be the safest option.
In the end, powerful people exert their power on vulnerable people, and they either don't realise, don't care or relish in it. And that is still very much happening today. American segregation is gone, but racism and the systemic echoes of it still exist.
When I first started reading it, I was so upset by the injustice of the whole situation. But as I got engrossed in the book, it switched to more directly empathising with the characters and their immediate emotions, which hits you in a different way.
Graphic: Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Body horror