Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

35 reviews

mezzarella's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

I have long admired Baldwin's essays, interviews, and speeches. The way that Baldwin writes with depth and compassion even towards people who worked against him is astounding. This book details religion's oppressive tendencies through the most faithful, discusses racism through the perspectives of the oppressed which help perpetuate it, discusses sexism with such honesty even though Baldwin was not a woman. There is a throughline of bold observation and truth in Baldwin's writings. While I was not personally moved by the importance of faith in this work, I was moved by the way these words encouraged me to find the shared experiences which encourage us to push forward in dark times and learn from our mistakes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Racism, and Sexism

herelieshenry's review

emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Pregnancy

Minor: Infertility, Suicide, and Death of parent

lay_kone's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Suicide

molliford's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Racial slurs and Rape

genstrong's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, and Grief

Minor: Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Police brutality, Murder, and Pregnancy

kelsreadsthings's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.75

this is not for the girlies with religious trauma (ie me). i did enjoy the lyrical way that baldwin writes stories. his writing is always a joy to experience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

fatkingslug'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

Minor: Homophobia

ohgull's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

3.75

I read this book for my Multicultural Lit class. It was an interesting read, definitely not something I would pick out for myself, but I'm glad I read it. I liked the main protagonist John and seeing his character growth, but it felt a little stifled. The second half of this book was basically just exposition on how the Grimes family ended up like this and why the characters are the way they are. I don't know, it had good material in it, specifically talking about religion and race, but I wish there was more plot in the present and not all of the action happening 20 years before the novel begins. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Death, Violence, and Police brutality

Minor: Drug use, Infertility, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

storia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, and Suicide

The main character, John, struggles with internalized homophobia. What I understand to be common in that time period and among those practicing christianity. Other characters experience and fear religious persecution for other "sins."

bjdarby's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Police brutality