Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

82 reviews

idabwells's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-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: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Minor: Antisemitism and Death of parent

armandforyou's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? N/A

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

cilicia_1's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? No

5.0

A beautiful story of how slavery defined the Jim Crow era and all of the lives impacted by the flaws of emancipation

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Forced institutionalization, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

callme_tippy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Heartbreaking & beautiful, I loved this one!

Ever since I read "I, Tituba" I have been more open to historical novels and ever since I read Tananarive Due's short story collection I have been wanting to read more of her work. This book was the perfect combination!

This is not an easy read, it is heavy and challenging to get through but Due knows exactly how to pace a novel to give some let up right when you think you cant take anymore. I think the decision to have this told from 2 points of view was genius, in that it provided that "let up" with a POV switch right when it becomes too much. 

I am a big fan of horror and it seems that I will become a big fan on Due as well as this provided everything it needed to and more and was a beautiful and heartbreaking tribute to her great uncle. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

raisinreads's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

lyndseyalexandra's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

robin1b's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

5✨✨ Very few fiction books are a 5 to me. A 4.5 is normally just a perfect as can be. Then comes a unicorn. The Reformatory is the unicorn. Due has created a world that feels so really because it is real and fiction at the same time. From the first page, you are drawn into the characters and the plot. You cry, you rage and you sometimes smile. History and truth is intertwined with ghosts, haights and old wives tales which may or may not be true. The story is peppered with names and stories you may have heard in history class during Black history month. 

Set in the 1950’s during Jim Crow in Florida, we follow two children who battle more than any of us imagine and so much of it is true yet still fiction. Read this book and get ready. Get ready to go on a ride that will take your breath away. 

Spice: 0/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, and Religious bigotry

thebookshelfblossom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book… wow. I’m not sure I breathed for the last 20% while I listened. It’s set in northern FL in 1950, when Robbie, a young Black boy, is sentenced to 6 months at a segregated reform school. You think the ghosts, or “haints,” Robbie sees are what will spook you, but you learn that what’s flesh and blood is much more sinister. 

The audiobook is fantastic. I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy the singular narrator with dual POVs, but I did. This isn’t my normal genre, but I’m glad I branched out. Due does an incredible job immersing you in the surroundings. 

If you enjoy historical fiction, and want to try one that is ghosts this spooky season, give this one a try. But PLEASE check all TW. Some really horrific themes are on page. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

adiajamille's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Murder

bmurrscott's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence