Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Ann Jacobs

10 reviews

readingwithcoffee's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

5.0

Misc: far worse people in this book but god Sands is a loser in my eyes.

Jacobs is such a talented writer and her analysis of race, class and gender ages extremely well for being over a century old.  Even on the hellish conditions she lives in and others enslaved she is very aware of the advantages and unique dangers her family light skin and mixed heritage puts them in as slaves and especially her boy who without knowledge of his family or ancestry passes as white. She also keeps everyone very human because the hell of chattel slavery is man made whether it’s a woman who owns slaves helping her escape or even a slave trader helping her family keep the kids her master is trying to send away to punish her while telling her brother he owes him helping him convince black women to be sold by him on his next trip after talking about his field of work hurt his heart. People with such odd mixes and harmful politics are still really real and you can feel Jacobs bafflement and odd gratitude to those people that are also very human for her especially when she later likens pro slavery southerners to snakes and talks about just how freeing that is. It is also very obvious the book is intended for a northern audience to convince them to repeal the fugitive slave act that I think makes this classic so idea for the classroom and I wish books like these by black Americans who lived through these things were what were commonplace vs the Uncle Tom cabin or Tony sawyer. Also really happy this was apparently a bestseller in Japan when it was translated to Japanese in 2017.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Miscarriage and Misogyny

thomasina's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Deportation

val_lenci's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

This title brought me to tears. There were moments when I had to take a mental break due to the description of the atrocities that happened to predominately Black women during this sinful period. Strong emotions held by desperation was expressed in every chapter. Her story thankfully ended on a satisfying note. It left me feeling strong; as in no matter how battling life can get, faith can still be found. (Hope I explained this correctly.) It is extremely advised to want to mentally prepare yourself before reading this book, especially if you identify as a black woman. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

Moderate: Abandonment

emdear's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

xjr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

I recommend the Oxford edition for informative annotations, some essays and some writings of Harriet's brother. 

The pace of the book is brisk and easy, unlike its content and my actual reading pace. 

This biographical fiction story contains many slave narrative tropes, but brings new light too. More introspection, a look into the sexual abuse of both men and women, a critical look into religion and the complications of being a mixed black woman with children. In all this darkness we still see hope for Linda doesn't only meet the worst of the worst but also some great people.

I see some claim that her editor L. Maria Child influences the story, but if Jacobs wasn't clever enough to write this I don't think she would have even been able to reach freedom like she did. I think the claim the text is only trimmed by her holds true.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, and Slavery

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

antonique_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

kathryngardyne's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

lexarobinson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

A harrowing, incredible autobiography of a woman you cannot help but be in awe of. Jacobs (under the pseudonym Linda Brent) writes in a completely unmitigated light: her work is a harsh, moving recollection of the abhorrent realities of slavery. I doubt I will ever be able to read it again, but its content shall stay with me for a very long time - in short, it is an absolute must read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

collyofthewobbles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

5.0

Wish i had the words to review this book.
It should be on the ciriculem of schools. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Medical trauma, and Sexual harassment

mercutiyolo's review against another edition

5.0

5/5

Read for a 19th-Century American Novel course.

This novel details the life of Harriet Jacobs, though referred to as Linda Brent throughout, and her experiences as an enslaved Black woman in the American South. It is unflinching, and I believe necessary reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Grief, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Sexual violence