Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Beloved by Toni Morrison

20 reviews

readbypiper's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

Beloved by Toni Morrison is undeniably one of the greatest hallmarks of American literature on recent history. 
If I was rating this book solely from a craft standpoint, I think I would give it five stars. Morrison’s writing is captivating and perfectly mysterious. She is able to create an amazing sense of dread and tension through her words which is most definitely something to be applauded. The characters in this story are so real and at the same time, they feel almost otherworldly. Morrison expertly weaves confusion and certainty in both the plot and the characters. Truly one of the greatest writers in the American literary canon.
Really, the only reason this book sits at a 3 star for me is because I don’t think I was really in the right headspace to be reading this when I did. First of all, I read this completely on my own, no outside guidance. And while I do love literature and reading, I’ve never taken a real “literature” or “analysis” class. So I had quite a bit of difficulty understanding the story and what it represents. I think if I had read this in a proper class with guidance from a professor I would have liked it much more. Also, the convoluted and emotional nature of the writing made it difficult for me to connect with the book. In short, I don’t think I’ll pick up another Morrison book until I have a more trained eye in terms of reading and analysis. But as for now, her writing just doesn’t really work for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Violence, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Slavery

samarakroeger's review

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

4.0

I respect the hell out of this book but I did not particularly enjoy actually reading it.  definitely a book I’m glad I read and it is certainly an important work in the Western canon but I was miserable and confused. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Death, Racism, Slavery, and Rape

thebristolreader's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Child death, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Trafficking, Violence, Colonisation, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Torture, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Grief, Sexual assault, and Slavery

balfies's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Child death, Death, Torture, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Hate crime, Grief, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Child abuse, Blood, Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Gore, Genocide, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Abandonment

marissasa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

Beloved is deeply somber and at times painful. It's Toni Morrison's most well-known book and after reading it I can see why. It's full of tension and grief and symbolism, all reflecting to themes of how our pasts shape our present and future. It doesn't shy away from any of the harsh realities of slavery and how even for survivors of enslavement, their memories and trauma of torture will forever live within them even as they try to forge new identities as free colored people in their own communities. Sethe's past literally haunts her through the form of Beloved, a character that was fascinating in that she constantly bent the line between ghost of a dead child and reincarnation of a living child and as a reader you are left wondering which she is throughout the whole narrative. I am glad that I read this story and definitely want to continue reading Morrison's other books. The literary style and elegant writing she uses reflect her talent and free-thinking mind as an author who paved the way for Black writers and Black historical books to this day.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Violence, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Child abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Racial slurs, and Sexual content

clapyourshands's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Racism, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Violence, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Abandonment, Blood, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, and Physical abuse

justsade's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

orlagal's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, and Murder

lostinthelibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.5

My first Morrison and I've never read anything like this. The style is so lyrical and the story kept me on the edge of my seat. This is not an easy ready and at the start, I was a bit lost but still pulled in by the writing. However Morrison does such a good job of unraveling the information slowly until the murky picture becomes clearer.

I even didn't mind the magical realism and ambiguous ending as the whole mood of the book was ethereal rather than kooky. I can't say that I always enjoyed this book but I will certainly never forget it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, and Slavery

Moderate: Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

r__kat's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty