Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

26 reviews

mladd28's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Murder, Rape, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Vomit, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence

booksnooksandcooks's review against another edition

dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.25

Definitely a book I could re-read and pull out parts of the text I never studied before and it could change the whole book.

Beautifully written and the magical realism is both transformative and also bone-chilling. I struggled a bit with the characters and development, but Ward presents the family in such a heart breaking way that the reader weeps alongside them.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to read magical realism.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Murder, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Cancer, Child abuse, Rape, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Hate crime, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, and Child death

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? Yes

4.25

This book is really raw and hard-hitting, and it has about every trigger warning possible. It's a world that many of us who are white and middle-class don't know and have been able to ignore as the faraway south. But the issues that this family faces are solvable, and it's all of our responsibility to change policy to put those social programs in place. This book is also a great anti-"classic literature" example - it's lyrical and winding and shows that there is not one way to write.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Cancer, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Vomit, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Sexual content, Addiction, Gun violence, and Murder

Minor: Abortion, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment

mallowdrama's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Probably the best climax and ending I've read in a novel before. Incredibly introspective and reflective.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Slavery, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Addiction, Animal death, Death, and Physical abuse

caleighrosebud's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Racism, Physical abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Death

Moderate: Slavery, Addiction, and Police brutality

katreads2022's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

The language of this book is just so amazing. The prose alone vaunts it to exceptional, although the plot can be somewhat aimless and bare. Jesmyn Ward writes beautifully. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Death, Drug use, and Slavery

ekmook's review against another edition

dark 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, Rape, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

robinbobbin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, and Terminal illness

quicksilver's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.75

This book is lyrical and is so full of issues to unpack. The characters are rich and fully developed, with a real sense of connection. The book has JoJo at the heart but it builds the world of the living and the dead in a powerful way. I would love to read Kayla’s coming of age story. I would also read a whole book about the unburied dead, those who died without peace, and their life straddling the spirit world and the land of living. 

I think I loved its strong sense of place most and what it means to belong is threaded throughout. The natural elements and how it ties to the theme of nature vs. nurture was extremely impactful. The idea that nature heals and the importance of a balanced ecosystem is paralleled with the importance of a balanced internal world. I could read this over again. 

This intergenerational saga is also key - this novel really brings Southern rural black life to light in a way I haven’t seen before, while exploring the theme of multiracial children and how they find their place in that backdrop. 

The descriptions are dynamic: they made me sad and made me hopeful and taught me some perspective on common themes. The dynamic of struggle in relationships and the emotions people feel but don’t speak are laid out for examination. 

It was a good read, deserving of all the praise heaped on it. Why are you still reading this? Go get your hands on it and read it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Racism, and Police brutality

Moderate: Addiction, Violence, Toxic friendship, Rape, Physical abuse, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, and Drug abuse

ananamauvais's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-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: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Violence, and Hate crime

Moderate: Addiction, Gun violence, and Medical content