Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore

12 reviews

rayofhope's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I was absolutely enamored by this book. I don't know if I'm going to be able to adequately express my feelings about it. 
I think it's important to acknowledge that this is the kind of book that feels "important." It's telling stories of marginalized people, set during a part of history that doesn't often get taught in-depth in the United States. I'm certain many beautiful and engaging essays could, and will, be written about it. 
And also, the characters just kick ass!
I fell in love with Gbessa, Norman, and June-Dey as soon as they were introduced. Each of them had such unique backgrounds and upbringings from each other, and the way they fell into each other's lives and fought against oppressive forces was so wonderful to watch. I don't often imagine things when I read, but the scenes of Norman and June-Dey fighting to protect people were vivid and epic action scenes in my mind. These three felt like superheroes, and I have an urge to draw them in formation as if they were on the cover of a comic book.

I enjoyed the way the book was formatted, with their three stories happening in separate countries, seemingly so unrelated, but tied together by the voice of the wind, June-Dey's mother. I also appreciated the nuanced way everything was handled: the formation of Liberia and the conflict with the indigenous peoples and everything. The way it's clear that the Black Americans needed to escape America, and also the ways in which they brought the oppressive society with them. The joy that Gbessa found when she was taken in by Liberians, and also the sorrow she feels for changing. It touched on a lot of very difficult and human themes. Every decision made was understandable. And every decision had consequences. 

I would recommend this book to truly anybody. It's exciting, it's magical, it's terrifying, it's complex.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, Gun violence, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual assault

solenekeleroux's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Racism, Colonisation, Violence, Trafficking, Death, Child death, Slavery, Murder, and Torture

Moderate: Child abuse, Bullying, and War

locsnthoughtz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, and Abortion

Moderate: Rape, War, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Racial slurs

Minor: Xenophobia

2kerrymehome's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Slavery, Genocide, Murder, Child death, Colonisation, Sexual assault, and Abortion

Many hisorical books make characters endure suffering before giving them a moment of resolution/redemption. The ratio of time spent suffering to time spent empowered is about 80:1- you spend the most of the book in graphic violence

javafenn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book got a little confusing because I was listening to it so I couldn’t go back as easily and clarify what was going on. This book was also very difficult because of the brutality of being a Black person in history. I really loved the magical realism and how the stories all wove in and out of each other ending where it began. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Classism, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Sexual violence, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Colonisation, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and War

humanmosquito's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Abandonment

Moderate: Violence and Sexual assault

ktrecs's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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: Abandonment, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Gun violence, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia

annaamaralanderson1997's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Torture, Racism, Sexual assault, and Murder

carolinewithane's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Trafficking, and Sexual assault

caprivoyant's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

This book deserves words of praise I may never be eloquent enough to write. In She Would Be King, Wayétu Moore creates a novel directly from the heart. This book feels like an offering -- a spiritual experience with the understanding and empathy of your wisest elder.

This book is poetry. It's heartbreak and love at the same time. It's the best, most beautiful, most magical aspects of the human species... And the most sinister. It's hope, and it's pain. It's love in the purest and most raw forms.

This is a book I didn't want to put down. And it's a book I never want to let go. It's not a page-turner, exactly, but it felt precious. I felt honored to be able to read it, to witness it. Every word deserved to be savored. And even though I've finished the final pages, I don't think this book will ever be done for me. It'll stay in my heart. It'll be in the wind on my face. It'll flow in my veins, whispering encouragement, tenacity, and resilience. It'll live through my actions.

Gbessa will not die. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Slavery, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia

Minor: Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, and Child abuse