Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

120 reviews

vaniavela's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-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? It's complicated

3.75

Gifty is a sixth-year neuroscience major at Stanford University. Ever since her brother died from an overdose, she has been trying to understand the reason for his addiction. Why was Nana addicted to drugs and why was he never able to quit?

What did I like?

1. As this book questions faith and religion, I think the author did a great job exploring the relationship between religion and science.
2. There is an emotional depth within the writing so I came to empathize with the characters. 

What didn't I like?

1.  The structure was confusing. The jumps in time and space were an interesting portrayal of reading how the pain and trauma affected her life, but it wasn't for me. Especially since these time jumps were not chronological.
2. I would have loved to read the mother and brother's perspective, especially since so much of what Gifty narrates is related to them. 

Transcendent Kingdom didn't manage to impress me, but I kind of appreciated it at the end.

CWs: Addiction, alcohol consumption, child death, death, drug abuse/use, death from overdose, grief, mental illness (depression), misogyny, racism, religious bigotry, sexual content (mild), sexism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Addiction, and Child death

Moderate: Sexism, Drug abuse, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Sexual content and Misogyny

lenneke_roekel'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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Cultural appropriation, and Addiction

jazzeeazz's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

themes: the relationship between science and religion, addiction, effects of addiction on family, Black immigrant experience, Depression

pages 228-229 actually broke me emotionally and i will never recover 🤪

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Medical content, Grief, Death, Child death, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Racism, and Drug abuse

violentcello's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Suicide attempt

samiaba15's review against another edition

hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child death, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Classism, Racial slurs, and Racism

alisonannk's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Child death, Death, Drug use, Grief, Racism, Addiction, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, and Hate crime

amandas_bookshelf'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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Drug abuse, Medical content, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Religious bigotry, Child death, Mental illness, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent

foreverbookwandering's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, and Mental illness

Moderate: Suicide attempt

msennflinn's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-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

Simply exquisite. One of the most heartbreakingly beautiful, thoughtful stories I've read in a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Child death, Death, and Drug use

jaynovara's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Animal death, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Drug abuse, Child death, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Death of parent, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, and Suicide

Minor: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Physical abuse