Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

27 reviews

lou_o_donnell's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Dementia, Grief, and Death of parent

skudiklier's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was amazing. I went into it not really knowing anything, but just having heard a lot of good things. I was so pulled in that sometimes I would stop reading (listening to the audiobook, really) and not know what I was doing or where I was. It felt like a whole different world, and I wish I could stay in it longer. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

kelseyland's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• 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

An incredible novel about family and history and the question of whether you can ever really separate yourself from either. I loved the way the storylines of each character evolved and connected.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Medical content, and Grief

words_and_coffee's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Dementia, and Death of parent

Moderate: Transphobia and Murder

Minor: Drug use

ashlightgrayson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

This book is a literary exploration of the intersectionality of racism, colorism, and transgenderism. It follows the lives of two identical twins, Desiree and Stella, starting in the 1960s and stopping in the 1990s. Both twins live in the small fictional town of Mallard, Louisiana with their single mother. Mallard has a population of black and mixed race individuals that tend to have lighter skin. The twins eventually choose to leave the constraints of their small town in order to pursue a better life. Eventually, Desiree and Stella go their separate ways. Stella chooses to pass as white, marries a wealthy white man and has a daughter with him. Desiree marries an abusive black man, has a daughter with him and eventually leaves him and returns to Mallard. The story follows them and their daughters and how Stella and Desiree's decisions affect both of their lives and the lives of their family. 

There are many contrasts drawn between the lives of Stella and Desiree and their respective daughters, Kennedy and Jude. Eventually the lives of the cousins intersect, and as a result, so do those of the twins. Through Stella we see the price of passing as white in a society that rejects blackness. Meanwhile, Desiree must grapple with the rejection her dark skinned daughter, Jude, suffers in a community and society that values lighter skin. We are also introduced to a transgender character who must struggle with living in a society that isn't accepting of people like him.

The story has incredible analogies and social commentary. The message at the end is also very powerful and makes everything that happens come together. If you are a fan of literary fiction that has heavy social commentary, this is a good book for you.

I was super happy with the ending of this book. Desiree was able to find a safe and loving relationship with Early and is able to eventually leave Mallard. Jude and Reese are finally happy and able to accept themselves for who they are. They reach a level of self-fulfillment and satisfaction that is contrasted by Stella and Kennedy's lives. Stella has continued to live a lie and sacrificed her relationship with her mother and sister in order to have the privileges of being white. Her ability to even pursue a career is also limited by her close-minded and sexist husband. Kennedy does not live a fulfilling acting career as she always wished. She continues to keep in touch with Jude by the end of the book. However, she ends a long term relationship with her black boyfriend and the extent of her relationship with Jude is limited by her internalized fear of being associated with blackness. Despite all of this, it is understood that Stella and Kennedy are in part victims of a racist society that influenced their decisions. It is also clear that despite all of the hardships Desiree, Reese, and Jude underwent for being black, they found true freedom in their own self-acceptance.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, and Murder

Minor: Homophobia and Death of parent

strawbself's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, and Dementia

francestea's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad 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

For me this is the perfect book. When I read it I am completely immersed despite the plot jumping through place, time, and perspective. It is such a fast paced read that most people I know struggled to put it down. Reading it a second time allowed me to dive a little deeper into the characters. I would love to hear from some of these characters again- Reese and Jude specifically. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Death of parent

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, and Racial slurs