Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

10 reviews

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

I had to hold back tears by the end.

What a heartbreaking story that, despite in my heart of hearts  knowing something like this would befall Kofi and his loved ones, from an unassuming, slice-of-life first half it still shocked me!

This was full of laughter, friendships and childhood rivalries between cousins, a glimpse of life in upper Kwanta and suddenly a series of tragic events pertaining to accidental death, a sick sense of justice and slavery. My heart kept skipping over the anguish I felt.

This story was beautifully and perfectly captured within the art of prose and the layout of the words on the page helped to emphasise certain scenes through the power of the words used to describe them and how they were fashioned.

A sorrowful tale, but not withot hope. One that is important to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

styxx's review

challenging reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.75

 The Door of No Return is the story of 11 year old Kofi Offin, an 11 year old boy who lives in the Asante Kingdom in what is now known as Ghana in 1860. It offers a rich picture of his life - family, schooling, farming, food, leisure, friends, traditional stories (especially loved how they were integrated), the impact of Europeans, and relations with nearby villages - one which is loving and happy. When Kofi’s older brother is chosen to compete in a wrestling tournament a tragic death occurs, one that will change Kofi’s life forever. This novel in verse is powerful and I loved that it provides the sometimes neglected African part of the African American story for children. However, the subject matter - torture and suicide occur on the page, rape and murder just off it - means it is probably best suited for the oldest end of the middle grade spectrum and if the young reader is sensitive I’d probably hold off a little longer. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Slavery, Suicide, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Rape

atamano's review against another edition

dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Colonisation

Minor: Rape, Vomit, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War

paigereitz's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Oooooof. This book packed a PUNCH. It was a beautiful novel, but hard to read. I can only imagine how hard it was to write.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Colonisation

daycia's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Miscarriage

Minor: Rape

stephanieswilley's review

challenging emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

mattyb's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Grief

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Torture, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, and Murder

Minor: Alcohol

aliyas_encanto's review

emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.5

A powerful and painful read, I wish I had something like this when I was young. The prose is beautiful and captures the youth of the main character, Kofi, so we'll.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Rape, Slavery, Grief, and Colonisation

Minor: Child death and Death

purplepenning'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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Vomit and Death of parent