Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Strangers by Katherena Vermette

9 reviews

tlaynejones's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Child death, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Grief, Pregnancy, Racism, and Mental illness

emilily's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad

• 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

4.5

Wonderful character growth in this book. It's not quite as dark as The Break, but manages to be just as impactful. Phoenix's journey offers a glimmer of hope for young people who've made terrible mistakes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Racism, and Colonisation

desarroi's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Racism, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Child death, Death, and Sexism

markedwithanm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Cursing, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma

emmasbookishself's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

A beautiful companion novel to The Break. 

There is an abundance of loss, inter generational trauma and pain but if you look closely this book is so full of love, hope and resilience. 

These characters make you feel right along with them, and you hope for them as they navigate their pains. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, and Mental illness

alisonburnis's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

3.75

The Strangers doesn’t hold back, laying bare trauma, substance use, abuse, assault, incarceration, foster care, and even more pain. Loosely connected to Vermette’s novel The Break, this is a companion, diving more into the life of Phoenix from the first book, and her family. 

Vermette is excellent at taking trauma and tragedy and making it a story of love and hope. The Strangers isn’t as tight as The Break, and it touches on the pandemic in a way that didn’t work for me (possibly because I’m not ready yet), but it is still a solid book, asking questions about trauma and evading simple judgment or providing answers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Violence

biblizo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Pedophilia, and Rape

meaghans_library's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Colonisation, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Death, Domestic abuse, and Racism

clem's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Pedophilia and Sexual assault