Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

48 reviews

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

fakeppy's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

yasline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Vomit, and Car accident

greatblueshark's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

I haven’t had a book that I haven’t want to put down during the last couple hours in months. At first, it felt a bit long because the page size felt daunting, but then you are given a book with a few POVs that flow well imo, and a story that keeps moving.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Torture

Moderate: Confinement, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

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

archaicrobin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

The Reformatory is one of the best books I’ve read this year and one of Due’s best, which is hard tos ay because all of her books are phenomenal. 

 Steeped in history and her own personal family trauma is a tale of a young boy in the south sent to a horrific “school” for boys and his journey to find freedom with help from the spirits who refuse to leave without justice.

This story is heart wrenching and horrifying, made all the more painful because it’s based on a real place where real boys were tortured, raped, abused and murdered. I highly recommend looking at triggers before starting this one just to be safe, because it’s brutal. While spirits and the supernatural are paramount to this story, the true terror is in the lack of humanity and completely disgusting and historically true displays of racism. 

This story was phenomenal but so hard to get through, there were several times I had to put this down and just decompress because it weighed so heavy on my heart. Books like this are some of the most importantly literature in my eyes, especially at a time right now where racism and bigotry are being paraded around as political candidates. 

10/10 everyone should read if you can handle it.  I will be thinking about Robert, his family, the boys left behind, and the message of this novel for a very long time.

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Content Warnings

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

lcg527's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Gun violence and Rape

missdeaddoll's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

mackenzienoelle'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? No

4.0

Listened to the audiobook which I think helped it not drag as much. Loved the ending, thought the last half was well paced. It’s a horror story about a children’s reformatory for boys in the Jim Crow south, so yeah it’s very upsetting in general. Check content warnings

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Terminal illness, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Blood, and Police brutality

faithemt'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

5.0

important look at Florida in the horrible jim crow days......and a particular school....

full review is here:

https://goldintheclouds-faith.blogspot.com/2024/08/2024-book-review-34the-reformatory.html

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Classism