Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese

7 reviews

rieviolet's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

This was my first proper approach to First Nations literature and it wasn't an easy read by any means, but a vital and eye-opening one.

From a narrative standpoint, I think that Saul's story was very well structured and paced; also, his voice and emotional landscape were explored and captured on the page very vividly and movingly.

The writing is quite understated and matter-of-fact, and while I didn't mind this pared-back style and still found it impactful, it might not click with you if you usually prefer something more flowery and elaborate.

As you progress with the narration, you understand more and more clearly the significant role that hockey plays in Saul's personal journey. Still, I'm not really a sports person and, in all honesty, the parts with more detailed descriptions were not the most interesting to get through.

This is a very heart-wrenching book and it does not shy away from depicting horrific child abuse and its lasting impact or the pervasive societal racism, but it never does so gratuitously. 
Despite all, it still ends on a hopeful note, focusing on the possibility of recovery and the healing force of a supportive community. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Death, Grief, Racial slurs, Suicide, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Terminal illness, Abandonment, Blood, Mental illness, and Torture

cantfindmybookmark's review

challenging emotional reflective sad 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Excrement, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Hate crime, Racism, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Suicide, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Abandonment

julienicole1106's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Excrement, Grief, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Cultural appropriation, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

lynneliu's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Suicide, Violence, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Abandonment, Confinement, Grief, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Minor: Death of parent and Mental illness

mariaejike's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

Amazing book. First off the writing style is perfect, it’s done so properly. The way Wagamese describes and tells the story was done very well. 

The book made me very emotional, all the twists were shocking.  I never expected any of them. 

 But it was a learning experience. To know how Residential schools worked and how it affects children who attended there like Saul. 

In general it is an Amazing book, honestly one of the best I’ve read. 

If you’re wondering if you should read it then YESSSS. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Colonisation, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Rape, Violence, Child death, Pedophilia, and Racism

priyarai's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Hate crime

Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Death of parent, Pedophilia, and Suicide

brenticus's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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

This is probably the best examination of inter-generational trauma I've ever read. Indian Horse follows the life off Saul Indian horse, from his early childhood learning bits of his culture with his grandmother to his attempts later in life to cope with the atrocities of the residential school he was placed into.

What gets me with this story is that there's minimal drama presented as time goes on. Saul is examining his life through a journal as he goes through rehab, and there are many events that do or could change the course of his life but remain hidden or muted until later. The behaviour of his parents is pushed aside quickly as he focuses on the love of his grandmother; the abuses at the school are background noise while he learns about his love of hockey; the inaction of his foster parents is unaddressed because he just wants to do the best he can for his team. Saul doesn't really know what he's doing, and he doesn't have many people to lean on, and the people who understand what he's going through best don't know how to grapple with it themselves. It's a tragedy unfolding slowly and quietly over the course of his life.

I've read and heard similar stories many times, but something about Saul rings louder and truer than a lot of other tales. Saul and the people he interacts with and even the reader quietly ignore his traumas to focus on his hockey career, to see how high the young virtuoso can fly, but we can't. They're all seething under the surface, and when they boil over it's a gut punch as we realize what we've done. Maybe if more people had tried to help with his past instead of focusing on his hockey ability we wouldn't need to read this book.

All in all, this is probably the best work of Canadian literature I've ever read and I want to recommend it to just about everybody.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicide