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mle11's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Dementia
cattpurrson's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
carlycompton22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
parenthesis_enjoyer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Medical content
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol
jennswan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
jlfields925's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Murder
penhaligon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
5.0
First, I found the writing style very interesting in The Nickel Boys. Much like the environment and happenings in the book, the writing style was not flowery or flowing. At times it was curt, it was precise, it would cut a sentence into two or three short ones. Very contrary to what I normally read and enjoy, it really made me stop, literally, multiple times to make me focus on the “why” of the styling chosen, which I think made things more impactful for me; at times I even reread to see if there was a hidden meaning of intent. It wasn’t so much that it was difficult or confusing, but more so gave me pause.
The tale itself is sad: full stop. Sure there are moments of positivity, of hope and optimism. But ultimately, it is a tragic, yet necessary, fictional telling of the worst of humanity. And being fiction, it is easy to understand and digest. I will say the ending threw me - I guessed it a bit before the Epilogue, but not early enough that it spoiled anything. And honestly it makes me want to reread it to see if I can pick out the context clues which were sprinkled along the way.
Can definitely understand why this won a Pulitzer. Definitely recommend. I finished it in ~6 hours over two days.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
agavemonster's review against another edition
- 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
A sober, cynical, heartbreaking work written in the long dark shadow cast by true history. As in the great American novels, each character serves to symbolize a social role or system, but is starkly and truthfully etched in the details of their own specific existence as well. Elwood and Turner could be perceived as ciphers of the two survival strategies of Black Americans pre-civil rights—standing up straight in a shirt and tie to demand your dignity like Elwood's hero MLK, and doing what needs to be done to run the "obstacle course" in which Turner has lived his whole life—but they're also two young boys who are caught in the crosshairs of this Jim Crow-era torture house, and you can't forget it. The daily degradations are inescapable, and the horrors you don't see are sketched in light pencil contour, just enough to wrench your gut as you fill in the rest of the picture. This happens again and again. The intimately depicted evil of the white superintendents and staff runs the gamut from complicity to sadism. "The sons held the old ways close." Griff and Chet's boxing match really killed me. Finally, I should have seen the well-foreshadowed turn near the end, but it still blew me apart: brilliance and tragedy. One of my best books of the year.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, and Murder
gabthebookworm's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Police brutality
ominous_emu's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Police brutality, Abandonment, and Classism