Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

10 reviews

samburkhouse's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Torture, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Police brutality, Suicide, Blood, Body horror, and Violence

Moderate: Slavery, Child death, Self harm, Grief, Mental illness, and Racism

Minor: Transphobia, Sexual content, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Rape

dominiq_ec's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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

5.0

I mean, this is just one of the best books I've read in a while. Considering another dystopian / apolalyptic favorite of mine, Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin, its so rooted in human rights issues in the United States, and is just dystopian enough to convince you that we may not see this come to fruition. But what if we do? How will you think? 

I thought that Thurwar and Staxxx both died at the end, but I was wrong and now my heart is broken.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Suicide, Cancer, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Sexual content, Cursing, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, Blood, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Torture, and Self harm

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Hate crime, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Car accident

I mean, this book does force you to take a relatively deep look at the United States penal system, which does include reading about the crimes some of these characters committed, as well as how they are (mis)treated by those that are responsible for their care. At the same time, these incarcerated folks are fighting to the death for entertainment's sake, so there's a lot of gory, violent descriptions. There is mentions of rape, but no graphic details. There is torture, and loss of life. It's a troubling book, so read with caution.

lycheejelly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Self harm, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Medical content, and Medical trauma

sarahbeydoun's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Grief, Cursing, Sexual content, Murder, Gore, Body horror, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, and Medical content

anthologee's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Self harm, Mental illness, Gun violence, Confinement, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Classism, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Racism, Hate crime, Rape, Police brutality, Murder, Misogyny, Gore, Genocide, Cursing, Blood, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, and Colonisation

abisnail564's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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? Yes

4.0

Chilling thoughts about the penal system and the carceral state

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Murder, Torture, Death, Violence, Racial slurs, and Confinement

Moderate: Death of parent and Suicide

Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual content

chris_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Torture, and Racism

Moderate: Blood, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Death, Grief, and Misogyny

Minor: Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicidal thoughts

sarah984's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

"I seen men I knew were a danger to the world and they too deserve better than this." 

I don't even know what to say about this one. Brutal and honest, great character writing. A little bit of speculative fiction to shine a light on the horrors existing right now. In some places it feels a little "abolition 101" but overall the prose sings. Phenomenal.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Self harm

Moderate: Medical content, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Blood, Gore, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Racism, Cancer, and Suicide

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Slavery, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Religious bigotry

hawk_just_hawk's review against another edition

I know it’s an important topic and is working is all towards abolition, but I couldn’t handle all of the sinking despair this was bringing up in me. I felt like even the winners would be losing somehow. 💔😰

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Toxic friendship, Torture, Confinement, Body horror, Gore, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Murder, War, Racism, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

inkstutter's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Self harm, Violence, Racial slurs, Cursing, Death, Dementia, Blood, Confinement, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Lesbophobia, Transphobia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Biphobia, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Religious bigotry and Transphobia