Reviews tagging 'Police brutality'

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

12 reviews

wannaseeafrog's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This book was impossible to put down, and the development of the characters and the world-building immediately draws you in. It’s the kind of book that forces you to think about the morals and ethics of the world that surrounds us. While some of the character development seemed unrealistic at times, this book does take place in a futuristic and dystopian society with challenges that we can’t understand.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Child death, Death, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Car accident, War, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Bullying, Classism, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

besotted's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, and Medical content

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Violence, Kidnapping, Abortion, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Torture, and Confinement

bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition

dark hopeful tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, War, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Medical content, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Child death, Child abuse, Murder, and Racism

dark_marble_eyes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? No

2.5

I've seen this book as recommended reading for young adults/teens quite a lot, and I can see some merit in it. The main problem with this book is that it doesn't overtly take a stance, yet is promoted as a "conversation starter" on the subject/concept of abortion, the could-be alternatives, and the people on "either side" of the argument. It is purposefully written in such a way that somehow both anti-legal abortion and pro-legal abortion people regularly point to this book as a "see here! this is arguing my point!"
However, it comes across to me as a work written by someone who is either not invested in the issue or only invested in the way that it's a profitably inflammatory subject.

I cannot speak to the original intentions for the book and its sequels, but the opinion I personally have formed after reading the book, some interviews of the author, and the reactions of others, is that it lacks integrity of belief. I do believe that books written with intentional ambiguity can be helpful and valuable -just not this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Suicide, Child death, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Death, Abortion, Pregnancy, Police brutality, and Suicide

Minor: War

in relation to my tag on mass/school shootings- I do not remember there being specific mention of school shootings themselves, but there are people called "clappers" who are essentially suicide bombers in this universe who will go to schools or public areas and clap, activating [nitroglycerin?] in their bloodstream causing combustion and explosion.

clevernamehere's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Police brutality, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

cghegan's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content and Body horror

Moderate: Blood and Violence

Minor: Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Trafficking

snazz07's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Police brutality, Trafficking, Violence, and Bullying

Moderate: Abortion, Blood, Terminal illness, Confinement, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Kidnapping, War, and Abandonment

Minor: Mental illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

winters_night's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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? N/A

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, and Grief

Moderate: Police brutality and Abortion

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual violence

martereadsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Slavery, Violence, Torture, and Stalking

Moderate: War, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

plumquin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful tense fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Bullying, Violence, and Police brutality

Moderate: Confinement, Child death, Suicide, Death, and Medical content

Minor: Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Murder, and Kidnapping