Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr.

20 reviews

katsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

"Harder, however, and even more frightening was the truth: there was no such thing as monsters. Every travesty that had ever been committed had been committed by plain people and every person had it in them"

“Knowledge was a strength even when it hurt.”

“Our responsibility is to tell you the truth. But since you were never told the truth, you will believe it a lie. Lies are more affectionate than truth and embrace with both arms.”

"People liked pride. Mistook it for purpose.” 

I totally get why people so frequently compare Jones to Toni Morrison. I could definitely sense the similarities in their prose. However, unlike Morrison, I found myself getting a little lost in the prose of this book. I'd alternate between struggling to follow the plot and being incredibly invested. I'm not sure if that's just one of the things that happen with debuts or if it is just that I don't love literary fiction. Despite those moments of confusion, I really enjoyed this novel. Samuel and Isaiah's relationship just lept off the page and being able to see the perspectives of most of the people on the plantation, enslaved and enslaver, alike was compelling. I found Maggie and Adam's perspectives incredible and would have read a book just about them. There are a lot deeper themes that I think I could articulate better when and if I reread this. This book definitely strikes me as one of those books that needs a reread or two to really appreciate all of the things it's trying to say. It will definitely not be forgettable, that's for sure. I would also add lots of content and trigger warnings for sensitive content. Obviously, this is a book about slavery so rape, sexual assualt, physical violence, racism and racial slurs are all prevalent throughout the book. If you are sensitive to any content, please look up the content warnings for this book so you can take care of yourself.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Torture, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Incest and Pedophilia

jlsigman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Excrement, Trafficking, Death of parent, and Murder

jennikreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Murder

davidrb's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

An absolute triumph of writing, characterization, and execution. The first review I'm writing here, and for good reason. I think this is going to be my favorite of 2021. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Murder

stephbakerbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

3.5

(I’m writing this review a month after reading this book 🙈 so apologies if it’s not very coherent! 😂)

This book is historical fiction, but it definitely leans more toward literary fiction. It’s very well-written, but some might find the writing too abstract and overdone for the story. I’ll admit, some parts were hard to focus on in the audiobook and I think it would’ve helped me to have the print book to follow along with while listening. Some audiobooks I can listen to while doing a million other things and still follow along easily; this one required and commanded more attention. (I’m not saying this is a bad thing either—just trying to explain what kind of book this is and the best way to read it.)

That being said, I found the plot to be compelling and the characters satisfyingly complex. We get into the heads of several different characters, not just Samuel and Isaiah, and we find rich and real people in all of them. I also liked seeing the story from varying points of view.

There is a lot in this book that’s unsettling, but I thought the author handled these things well. He drew necessary attention to certain horrors and injustices without glorifying them or glossing over them. But please do be aware of the content warnings.

Thank you to Libro.fm, the publisher, and the author for my ALC.

Read if you like: Civil War–era fiction, forbidden love, gray areas.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, and Murder

kylieqrada's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Review to come!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Murder

aubreydelammermore's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Rape, and Slavery

emilybolivia's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This synopsis falls so short. I was privileged to listen to the author, Robert Jones, Jr., speak about this novel with fellow author Deesha Philyaw last week. Originally intended to be a narrative from Isaiah's perspective, Mr. Jones shared "What their love needed was witnesses." He created and wrote more than 10 witnesses to their relationship, both Black slaves and White slaveholders and overseer. The result was a profound exploration of deeply personal Antebellum South experiences including voices and stories from ancestors and the horrors of the Middle Passage journey. The scope of voices just left me in awe. It was immersive. Ms. Philyaw said, "each page is a gift". Reading this novel was a full-body, mind-blowing experience in both its beauty and its tragedy. 

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The normalizing of Isaiah and Samuel's love was refreshing and affirming. The treatment of gender identity and roles was thought-provoking. The strength, wisdom, tenacity, and beauty of the Black women was artful and real. The White people were written with care and, Mr. Jones shared, great consideration for their motivations. One must confront their humanity. From the book, "there was no such thing as monsters. Every travesty that had ever been committed had been committed by plain people and every person had it in them."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Murder

jouiselouise's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Trafficking

Moderate: Pedophilia

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, and Blood