Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Sublime Royaume by Yaa Gyasi

8 reviews

tangleroot_eli's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

A beautiful and painful book that demands the reader's full attention. Gyasi doesn't lay things out A then B then C; instead, she gives us a puzzle of C then A then Q and trusts that we as readers are clever enough and paying enough attention to put the pieces together.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racism, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

Minor: Sexual content, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

abrdoodle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, and Classism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Alcohol

kaitlyncookies's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

An excellent novel for anyone looking for an honest, nuanced depiction of an individual’s relationship to religion and science.

***

Transcendent Kingdom is a novel told in vignettes that go back and forth between the main character Gifty’s childhood/adolescence and the present day where she is an adult. Because it is non-linear it did take me a bit of time to get into it, but Gyasi’s prose kept my attention. The novel’s structure lends itself well to its subject matter, the grey area of religion and spirituality. 

This novel is very nuanced because the main character’s faith is shaken by a tragedy that lacks the sudden senselessness of a more spontaneous death. Instead Gifty witnesses the drawn out demise that often accompanies addiction. In my opinion this book had a very accurate depiction of a loss of faith, in that it is less like a switch being turned off, but more like a river that over time loses its intensity and may totally dry up in some seasons, or forever. 

Gyasi’s prose feel so honest that this novel reads more like a memoir. The scientific side of this novel was also incredibly realistic and an interesting counterpoint to Gifty’s spiritual upbringing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Bullying

ejs2000's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Grief, and Classism

Minor: Racism, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

reddeddy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

scruffie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

Heavy book. My first Gyasi read and I have to admit that I really liked the writing style: clearly literary, but also direct. I really appreciated the book's nuanced view on depression and addiction, the focus on understanding, not judging.

I also liked the book's perspective on the internal conflicts people who have been brought up in a religious setting face, and in particular how that interacts with the scientific point of view. Coming from a similar place myself I found that part very relatable.

Time to look for Gyasi's other books :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Violence and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit

zombiezami's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5

I like this more than Yaa Gyasi's first book, Homegoing. I like the way that the plot and the characterization get uncovered a little bit at a time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

allimoose37's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Excrement, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Minor: Misogyny and Sexual content