Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante

19 reviews

kathsaph's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? No

4.75

"The Grief Keeper" is the story of Marisol, a seventeen-year-old girl, who flees El Salvador with her little sister under threat of death. Once in America Marisol is offered the chance to win asylum by participating in an experiment; taking another person's grief. What she does not expect is falling in love with the girl she is saving. 

This novel was personally difficult to read, but completely relevant and impactful. So many details were packed into 300 pages, all contributing to amazing character development and storytelling. The book is in the first person and often includes Spanish, I ended up looking up the words as I went along, and I recommend doing the same, it added another layer of depth. My response to "The Grief Keeper" was visceral, and although not all of the technology in the book exists, the societal views that would allow the experiment to happen do, making the book terrifying. Please check triggers before reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Blood, and Alcohol

courtneyfalling's review

dark emotional sad 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? Yes

4.0

This made me cry multiple times. I'd call it primarily a sad, contemporary novel with speculative fiction elements to deepen the emotional side. All of the main characters feel drawn-out and almost blurry around their edges... it's a lot more about how things feel than who they are. Marisol especially is a complicated mix of fiercely stubborn and mostly passive or internal, which makes the book's pacing sometimes feel heavy. The beginning weighs down a lot, and then we finally get the bulk of important backstory and growth in the final chapters. I can't say I was ever enamored with Rey as a character or the budding relationship between her and Marisol, but they do have some lighthearted moments and I liked the deeper arc of Marisol letting go of her internalized lesbophobia. And the criticism of the US immigration system is very well-done

although I still feel like Indranie deserves a lot more comeuppance than she gets

. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Xenophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Alcohol

Additional CW for bomb attack/mass violence

lilcoppertop's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Grief

Moderate: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, and Murder

morganperks's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment

gothicmoon's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

The Grief Keeper handles serious, difficult topics in a digestible manner for people the characters' age to understand. The writing is fluid and the plot simple with shocking touches, though the story itself doesn't quite linger after the book is over.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, and Murder

mxfahrenheit's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Vomit

azaliz's review

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

An amazing story on grief and trauma and depression and illegal immigration, with lovely themes of friendship and love and sacrifices.

There are queer main characters and most of the characters are people of color.

The cover of the book is gorgeous and it represents the book perfectly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, and Physical abuse

Minor: Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Xenophobia

loraora's review

dark emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Homophobia, Medical content, and Grief

moonyreadsbystarlight's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Gun violence, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt