Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

17 reviews

burnourhistory's review against another edition

dark tense slow-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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism, Vomit, and Antisemitism

becinneverland's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

joymargot's review against another edition

5.0

I chose this for my October reading list because of the ghosts but it’s so much more than a ghost story and horrifying in a totally different - and tragically accurate - way. It’s a long and brutal read, but an important one. I was utterly gripped and stayed up late to finish it as I couldn’t sleep not knowing how it ended!

Great characters and such a powerful story but check those content warnings.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

flying_monkeys's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Blood, Antisemitism, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death, Alcohol, and War

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. 

---

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

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

---

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

merirobie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? No

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Racism, Terminal illness, Grief, and Murder

narbine's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

Loved this

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

qqjj's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kaiyakaiyo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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? No

4.0

this is one of those books I can’t call “enjoyable” because  frfr it had me sweating and my stomach in knots the whole time. that being said, it was a gripping, sad, informative read. the pacing is surprisingly fast for a book this large, and the plot was very neat.

the speculative and horror elements wove well with the historical fiction aspects, and I really enjoyed how we got a glimpse into so many minds, even if they weren’t always good minds to be in. the way the narrative flowed from one brain to the other was so smooth and satisfying. gloria and robbie were lovely, if tragic :( such sweet, empathetic children in a world where they can sense even more harm than usual due to their clairvoyance. heartbreaking

I also love love love that the author included books in the authors note that tell the true story of the school this novel is based on; it’s clear that she did a lot of careful, tactful research for this book, and wants us to do the same. this is not a light read by any means, but it is a good one 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness