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mj_86's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, and Rape
Minor: Racial slurs
akvolcano's review against another edition
3.0
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Bullying, Colonisation, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Genocide, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Chronic illness, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Ableism, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
crybabybea's review against another edition
4.5
I went into this being mildly informed on the prison industrial complex, but Stevenson helped open my eyes to how truly harrowing the experiences of the most underserved prisoners can be. He explores not only the systemic biases that cause unfair and wrongful convictions, but also the devastating after-effects of mass incarceration and lazy, biased legal proceedings. There is a deep-rooted corruption within our legal system that stems from slavery, fed by racism, ableism, classism, and sexism, and Bryan Stevenson is not afraid to call the corruption out for what it is. I also liked how he touched upon sensationalization of crimes in the media, which I think has become even more of an issue with true crime becoming one of the most popular forms of media in recent years.
The anecdotes in this book are absolutely sobering and told with a degree of compassion that is rarely given to prisoners, let alone the "worst of the worst". I believe this compassion and empathy make this book an accessible entry into abolition and understanding the prison industrial complex, even for those who may be on the other side of the political spectrum. The phrase "Just Mercy" is a plea from the author to practice empathy, compassion, and a call to action to focus on helping the people who need it the most, rather than calling for their deaths.
Highly recommend.
Also ACAB.
Graphic: Classism, Mental illness, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Stalking, Drug abuse, Confinement, Violence, Police brutality, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Dementia, Addiction, Sexism, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, and Gun violence
bucklace27's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Confinement, and Police brutality
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Death
libristella's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Death, Dementia, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Racism, Child abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, and Racial slurs
bgunther's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, Gun violence, Grief, Sexual assault, Racism, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Mental illness, Self harm, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Police brutality, Miscarriage, Rape, Hate crime, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Child death, Slavery, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, and Colonisation
pichine's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Racism and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death
danimcthomas's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Child abuse, Child death, Medical trauma, Murder, Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, and Stalking
bookshelfmystic's review against another edition
4.5
What kind of society do we build when we delight in killing?
Just Mercy is an important book. As much as I already opposed the death penalty, this book gave me so many more reasons. Bryan Stevenson masterfully shows the reader, time and time again, that the justice system in the United States is cruel, unfair, and designed for retribution--and, very often, used as a tool for racial oppression.
There were stories I could hardly believe were true, like the totally innocent being sentenced to decades in prison--regularly--and the absolute mockery of impartiality Stevenson witnessed time and again during trials for Black defendants, especially in the South. But Stevenson is the perfect author for this subject: he's spent his life in the trenches, seeing firsthand how broken the justice system is and working within it to fix it, slowly, slowly, but with each small victory changing one more life.
I very much enjoyed the writing of the book (and the author's narration) - it was accessible and engaging throughout. My only minor complaint (and the reason for 4/5 stars) is that I felt it was a little scattered. Each chapter focuses on either the story of Walter and his wrongful conviction or on a different aspect of the justice system, usually with a whole new set of people to learn about. Each story was fascinating, but I found it a bit hard to keep track of all of the cases and the overall flow of the book. Nevertheless, this book is extremely worth reading, and Stevenson's activism and life work are courageous and inspiring.
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, and Racism
Moderate: Police brutality and Miscarriage
Minor: Death of parent
imskylow's review against another edition
5.0
I don't mean that it's at all boring or dense or has weird pacing. I mean that the stories within this book are extremely difficult to consume. It's painful— not as painful as those who had to live it— but painful nonetheless. Knowledge can be that way sometimes. I found myself really putting off listening to this book or only listening for short segments because of how overwhelming and devastating so many stories were. It's simply so much easier to live in the ignorance, to close your eyes, plug your ears and turn away. But we shouldn't do that. As Americans, but even more broadly, as <b> humans <b/> we must progress collectively and that means opening our minds and hearts to those suffering. I won't lie, there were many times I got emotional many times for my black brothers and sisters suffering merely due to prejudice. The wrongful convictions, harsh sentencings, and pure violence that they experienced and still do experience is sickening. Bryan Stevenson and everyone a EJI are angels on earth and we need more people like them— more stone catchers. Because of this book, I also feel inspired to be a stone catcher in my own life where I can and a shoulder to cry on when it's needed. Obviously, not everyone is a lawyer but I think I could do more to support those who cannot fight for themselves.
Graphic: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Death, Torture, Murder, Bullying, Violence, Racism, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Ableism, Mental illness, and Grief