Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

7 reviews

carojust's review against another edition

dark hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

This is difficult story, especially knowing it's based on the real-life Dozier School for Boys and its hidden past. The backdrop is a racist, segregated South, as Black men, women and children endured unjust, fatal circumstances, while the civil rights movement began to find footing. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words are weaved throughout this book, as a guiding moral compass for Elwood, the young protagonist, who reminds himself that only love can root out hate.

Colson Whitehead writes beautiful characters, ones that you love and mourn as if you've known them. While their time in an abusive, corrupt, and terrifying reform school is somber reading, Whitehead offers moments of hope through Elwood's friendships, and a peak into his future. There are repetitive themes, but I believe purposefully so, to reiterate the lasting trauma of a "prison within a prison" created by generations of racial violence, discrimination and hatred. Assaults and murders that escape justice for lifetimes. Poignantly, the characters talk about the free world and their world at Nickel, how there was no fence that kept them imprisoned. 

I grew up in Tallahassee, and it was my first time reading a book set in my hometown and the Florida panhandle.

Give this a read if you're interested in Black history, plot twists, and characters you can root for. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

tigertheory's review against another edition

dark informative sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Xenophobia, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Excrement, Death of parent, and War

196books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Racism, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Rape, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

mmwiseheart's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

This is a fantastic book, which feels weird to say since the content is so heavy and dark. However, it is very well written. More importantly, it tells the story of boys whose stories were largely unheard. It is based on a true story of what happened at a reform school in Florida. The only thing I didn’t like about it is that I felt it wasn’t fully resolved. Which is perhaps intentional. 

I read this for book group and was forewarned that I needed to start reading it earlier than I normally would because I’d need to take breaks from the heaviness of it. And that turned out to be the case. The only other book I’ve read that I remember having to put down and come back to this much was John Hersey’s Hiroshima. 

I recommend this to everyone. It’s a lot to handle, but it’s so important. It’s important to know about and learn to recognize the injustices that have happened, and are still happening, in our country so that we can affect change.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Pedophilia, Slavery, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Alcohol

annabulkowski's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

silverrose187's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

surefinewhatever_'s review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

I’m still processing my thoughts & feelings regarding this book. Colson Whitehead is a master at his craft and writes such horrible scenes so beautifully. There was a moment near the end where my jaw dropped and tears filled my eyes. Not to mention that I think this novel had the best first line I’ve ever read, stating “Even in death the boys were trouble.”  Be sure to check out the long list of content warnings before reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury