Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

White Tears by Hari Kunzru

7 reviews

arnoles's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I sometimes really struggle with books that leave a lot of things unexplained, so at first I was leaning more toward the 4 star range. However, I have not been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished it. It was absolutely captivating, a ghost story predicated on true, real life horror. The several different timelines bleeding together were all compelling and the last 10% or so of the book tied them together in a way that was simply genius. I really enjoyed the writing style, very matter of fact and frank. Yes, there are many unexplained elements, but there's still a clear resolution to the story -- therefore, for me, this is a 5 star read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Murder, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

Minor: Suicide

miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

jasbennett's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense fast-paced

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

2.5

Slightly bewildering, disorientating, lost me a little

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Police brutality

vonni's review against another edition

I took issue with the author, characters, and details of the subject matter. 

Potential minor spoilers:

The author of this book is a non-Black British man, all of the main characters are white. All of them. Yet the main subject matter of the novel is appropriation and racist attitudes toward Black culture and Black people in America. It feels ironic to an insulting degree that Black people are mystical plot devices and background set pieces for a story supposedly critical of white privilege. There are no non-white characters for at least 50% of the book that are active participants in the story. 

Somewhat frustrating but not on the same degree of irritation, the main characters are all really unlikeable. The narrator feels shame for the position of privilege he is by association with his wealthy, racist friends. He occasionally muses on how ignorant they are towards the irony of their love for Black culture and counter culture, but are living off of riches produced from real estate and the prison industrial complex. Seth is not compelling and had not yet to the point i reached in this book challenged anyone on their hypocrisy. Internally, he'll ponder it but quickly make excuses on their behalves.

It is especially frustrating to read *as* a queer Black biracial person  who grew up in a predominantly white, mostly rural, region and has had a lifetime of experiences with microaggressions and outright racism. This book isn't for me. Maybe it will be eye opening for other readers, but I'm not the audience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Police brutality

gabi_tron's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide and Toxic friendship

greyemk's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, and Police brutality

nora__reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

4.0

An interesting exploration of authenticity and cultural appropriation. 

Carter is a wealthy record collector who becomes obsessed with pre-war blues music and a specifically a track the narrator Seth, his best friend and business partner, recorded by accident. 

From there begins a descent into darkness and death, precipitated by the spectral Charlie Shaw and an internet blues fanatic called jumpjim. 

It’s a weird book, but a really interesting one. I listen to the audio version so I’d be interested in reading the hard copy to see how the effect changes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery