Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

6 reviews

maresuju's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Body horror, and Murder

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Animal death

Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Cannibalism

magmck's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Gore, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Blood, Murder, Vomit, Cancer, Cannibalism, Violence, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail

shadestate's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

What a wonderful, raw exploration of grief, community, and guilt. How avoiding deep pain doesn't make it disappear. It just gets a chance to linger and fester. I loved how Mackenzie, the main character, was deeply flawed. 

Spoiler

Anxious, avoidant, pushing people away because she feels like a burden. Unable to ask for help. Falling into the trap that pretending you're okay is the same as not making your loved ones worried. Yet still loved by her family and friends. Because we all have our flaws, the bad. 

 

A five of cups book at its core. Definitely want to reread this late October, when I think the pages will speak even more than they did now, at the start of spring. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Colonisation

Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Racism, and Child death

Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexism, Body horror, and Murder

anapthine's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

5.0

 

This book was incredible. Just everything about it was amazingly done: the characters, the setting, the emotion and the plot. I was hooked: perched on the edge of my seat having to find out what will happen next. Johns clearly poured out their heart and soul into this book, emphasising the importance of indigenous voices: how they should be listened to and not ignored. The stories of generations and the Cree woven into this beautiful story. Some parts of it made my spine crawl, with it not being predictable and you always wanting to find out more. 

Mackenzie has dreams of her dead sister, which begins to become more real forcing her to return home after leaving years ago. Crows seem to follow her - like some impending doom. Are these just dreams or is there more to it? What do they mean?

This is a must read. I have never read anything like it, and I doubt I ever will again. Jessica Johns is a beacon of indigenous voices and they will be heard. 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Gore, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol

azurae's review

dark mysterious 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

Haunting, chilling, incredible book by indigenous author Jessica Johns. I don't often read horror, but this book gripped me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Vomit, Gore, Murder, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, and Death

soobooksalot's review

adventurous dark funny informative mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.5

Bad Cree is a story of loss, grief, family bonds, and culture. Literary fiction with a side of horror. 
Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for my gifted copy for review.
Mackenzie is a young Cree woman troubled by the dreams she's had since her sister Sabrina's death. Dreams in which she even brings back items when she wakes. Are these nightmares, communications with spirits, or a creature based in legend?
I love Jessica Johns' writing style. Bad Cree is smart, crisp, and atmospheric. The perfect fusion of characterization and tension.
The story is filled with cultural insight of growing up Indigenous - the challenges, but also tradition and kindred connection. 
This is a book to be experienced. I'll absolutely be keeping my eye out for future releases from this author.
Recommended!
For release on Jan. 10.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Cancer, Grief, Gore, Violence, Chronic illness, Animal death, and Murder