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bookswithlauren'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Classism
thirdtimesacharm's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Death of parent
mjthomas43's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Bullying, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
jwells's review against another edition
It's funny that this book has the reputation of being about race. Summaries tend to center on the trial. It's certainly dramatic and memorable, but it doesn't come along until about halfway through the book.
Other reviews here criticize the book for not doing a good job as a book about race: there aren't black POV characters, and the entire first half feels irrelevant, since it's just about a little white girl and her brother.
I think maybe these are signs that Harper Lee didn't set out to write a book about race. For better or worse, it's a coming of age story about a little white Southern girl. The trial is just one of the learning experiences that she and her brother and their friend go through, as they gradually grow up and lose their innocence. Not to take anything away from the book; on the contrary, it's better and more coherent if you think about it this way. My two cents.
Graphic: Racism and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Incest
ccoral's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
Moderate: Bullying and Classism
Minor: Violence and Gaslighting
lmconway_ak's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Alcoholism and Bullying
ieotter13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Slavery
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
katewhite77'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
Told over two years through the eyes of three children who are part of a close-knit neighbourhood in Alabama in the early 1930s.
The novel opens by introducing a bit of neighbourhood legend, which helps set the scene and how socially conservative the community really is.
Aticus Finch, single Dad to Gem and Scout, two of the aforementioned children, is a progressive parent and lawyer, which becomes more and more important as we move the novel.
The absolute genius of this novel ìs that it is told through the eyes of three ìnocet children as it drives home to the reader quite how ridiculous the adult world can be sometimes.
It's funny as I was pretty sure I had read this book as a teenager and I remembered the beginning but there was a large swathe of the plot I had completely forgotten, so much so that I assumed I must not have finished the book but then I remembered the end, so I must have completed it.
I can imagine teenage me not really appreciating the more nuanced aspects of the plot, particularly when it came to Atticus' willingness not to follow the conversations of the time. So, I am really glad I read it again as an adult.
I think this really deserves its classic status.
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Colonisation, and Classism
dionysius_miller'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
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Police brutality and Classism
mdal26's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Violence, and Classism