Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Native Son by Richard Wright

26 reviews

omg__gigi's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

"Native Son" remains a seminal work in American literature, offering a haunting exploration of the intersection of race, class, and violence. Its relevance continues to resonate today, making it an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of racial dynamics in America. Wright's exploration of Bigger Thomas's life serves as a stark reminder of the enduring impact of systemic oppression and the urgent need for societal change.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

booksawyer's review against another edition

I respect this book and this author, but I really couldn’t get through this one. It was extremely slow paced, and when you spend that much time with an unlikeable narrator it kind of gets unbearable.

I’m usually someone who can separate the morality of a character from the enjoyment of a book - sometimes a morally questionable character is there to prove a point. But this was too much and I honestly couldn’t handle it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gore, and Blood

annabel_105's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, and Classism

morenowagain's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism

hyeto's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Violence

rinasangel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Rape

amalas_bookstop'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? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Jordan Peele has nothing on the mind that is Richard Wright. I do not know if I was completely ready to read this black horror, but at the same time I am glad I did. 

The way Richard Wright was able to write a character like Bigger, whose only accomplishment is becoming what the world thought of him is heartbreaking. There were no winners or losers in this story, it completely showed how we all fall short and the consequences that come from that. 

Parts of this story had me holding my breath, and the panic and fear bigger felt throughout this whole story was so well written you could not help but feel it.

This book is a solid 4.5 stars. Very well done, but at the same time unfortunate that this needed to be written. A must read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

thatone2112's review against another edition

dark tense

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Police brutality

trisha_clay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This book is heavy. It’s exceptionally well written but very, very painful. I felt sympathy for many characters in this book. Bigger is not one of them, though I felt aghast from his life circumstances. There are echoes of this book in Invisible Man, and at the same time they are very different. Max’s speech towards the end of the book is important. Ultimately, I feel disgusted by our country’s choices that mean you could tell a very similar story today. We need to face that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Violence, and Murder

kristiniad's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Emotional abuse