Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Jesus Land: A Memoir by Julia Scheeres

11 reviews

jennylane's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault

savreads28's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Addiction, Rape, Incest, Racism, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

emsartorius's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Racism, Child abuse, and Self harm

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Animal cruelty and Adult/minor relationship

nrogers_1030's review against another edition

The writing is good, but there are far too many detailed descriptions of abuse. As the author is a survivor of indescribable abuse, I understand her need to process this and put it in her book. That being said, it’s too much for me to handle.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Child abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Fatphobia and Cursing

Minor: Blood

lmshearer's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

This is one of the best memoirs I've read in a while. A clear story told well, I read this in an afternoon and look forward to seeking out more works by this author.

If you're reading a later edition, please skip the Prologue, as it has spoilers. The copy I had was from the first run, but I had been warned ahead of time to steer clear. Please also check the content warnings before reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Racism, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Animal death, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Self harm

coversofceilidh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, Rape, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Animal cruelty, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Death, Car accident, Bullying, Alcoholism, and Abandonment

leslie_overbookedsocialworker's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Self harm, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, and Rape

Minor: Antisemitism

kateannie11's review

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicide attempt

kbergsten's review

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Incest, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Violence

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective sad

4.25

 Jesus Land is an absorbing memoir focussing especially on the author’s teen years. Her story had three main focal points - racism, child abuse in the guise of Christianity and her close relationship with her adopted brother David who was Black. So much about this story made me ragey- the racism David sufferered within the family and in the outside world, the physical abuse imposed on David both because abuse is clearly wrong but also because this had a racial element to it, the fact the parents were keen to wash their hands of their Black children as soon as parenting them became difficult, the fact the parents didn’t support their children, Black or white, in dealing with racism they faced in the community, the sexual abuse the author suffered but felt unable to disclose, and so much more. The physical, emotional and sexual abuses of the Christian reform school David and Julia were shipped to in the Dominican Republic was reprehensible. And what saddens me is that this sort of abuse can still continue today with many institutions not subject to any form of oversight. Stories like Jesus Land are important, even if they do not make for pleasant reading.

But I did love the relationship between Julia and David and the way they supported each other as best they could. Julia’s behaviour was not always perfect, something she owns, but I could understand what motivated it. I also loved the way the two of them resisted brainwashing at home and at school. They appeared to conform and comply in order to stay as safe as possible but resisted stealthily and managed to keep their hearts and minds free. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse