Reviews

Good Kings Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum

niki_swack's review

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad 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? No

4.5

Good Kings Bad Kings is a reflective piece on the inhumanities and ignorance that befells institutionalization of disabled children. Told through the first person narrative of seven different characters, this story walks you through the trials and tribulations of disabled youths, a disabled adult, and able-bodied workers, as they navigate everyday life at ILLC.

Nussbaum dynamically weaves the lives of these seven characters together, while simultaneously unavailing the inequalities of disabled youths, and the disabled crusaders fighting for de-institutionalization. At the same time, the first person narrative allows an unprecedented and unique glimpse into the eyes of a disabled person, while also give the perspective of someone naive to the disabled world. As someone who was put into a wheelchair later in life, Nussbaum is uniquely qualified for this perspective ability.

Harrowing, disturbing, and eye opening, Good Kings Bad Kings is a must read. 

acresofclams's review

dark emotional funny hopeful 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Ableism, Medical trauma, Grief, Rape, Chronic illness, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Confinement

Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Cancer, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Blood, Vomit, and Racism

sockfood1's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.75

grimja's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Ableism, Rape, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Suicide and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

sarah984's review against another edition

funny informative sad slow-paced

• 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? Yes

3.0

There's a lot to like about this book but my overall experience with it was just average. Most of the storyline really worked for me (except

Yessie's little field trip

near the end, which just felt kind of silly and out of place) and I liked having points of view from characters in different parts of the system. However there is one character who feels SO author-voice to me, like just halting the plot for lectures directly from the author, and a couple of the points of view were written in ways that felt borderline racist (especially the way the Mexican character's accent is written out).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Rape, Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Medical content

Moderate: Mental illness, Fatphobia, Racism, and Physical abuse

Minor: Sexual harassment, Blood, Car accident, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Vomit, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Police brutality, and Bullying

teacupsandfirereads's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Ableism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death

Minor: Racism, Adult/minor relationship, and Homophobia

samtastic02's review

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Violence, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Child abuse, Death, Racial slurs, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Transphobia and Lesbophobia

alicia_th's review

challenging emotional informative

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

4.0

pratt_kat23's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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? No

4.0

dom_madz's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative medium-paced

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

5.0