Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

Bytte by Ann-Helén Laestadius

19 reviews

vixenreader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

As important as it is gripping, this book sums up what it means to advocate for yourself, your culture, your mental health, and your own land without wallowing into sentimentality. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Gun violence, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Dementia, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit, and Car accident

Be wary of police negligence, slander, school yard fights, property damage, adults threatening children, an attempt at a home invasion, funerals, and PTSD.

affiknittyreads's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

catandherbooks's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense slow-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? N/A

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicide, and Blood

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

crazygoatlady's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Stalking, and Suicide attempt

literarywreck's review against another edition

challenging informative sad slow-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? No

4.5

Review in Short: 

Laestadius’ prose is remarkably moving and full of luscious description that immediately draws you into Elsa’s snow-covered world. From the start, the immersive story she spins grapples with themes of identity, trauma and injustice; the unique responses of each character reveal layers of Laestadius’ social commentary.

Full Review: 

Stolen is written in simple prose that is littered with beautiful descriptions of nature and human emotion. As the majority of the book is filtered through the lens of a young protagonist, I understood the artistic decision to keep the writing fairly simple, however, I did find myself frequently longing for more of Laestadius’ stunning descriptive writing.

The beauty of Stolen lies in its thematic exploration of intergenerational trauma, systemic oppression and mental health. It took me a long time to wade through this novel because of how impactful it was; I frequently found myself needing to take breaks to process what I had just read. 

In the Myth of Sisyphus, Camus wrote that the only serious philosophical question is whether or not to commit suicide; for several of Laestadius’ characters, this is not merely a philosophical quandary, but an unavoidable reality. Stolen clearly illuminates the struggle of the Sámi people, and the harsh reality that some people (and peoples) roll heavier stones.

In one of the most moving portrayals of depression and oppression—and, of course, the inextricable relationship between the two—I’ve read, Laestadius somehow manages to make the looming threat of mental health issues feel tangible. At times, mental health—depression, anxiety, and the question of whether life is worth living—takes the reins from the poaching villain Robert, personifying the general/abstract antagonist of oppression in his stead.

It’s not hard to see why Stolen is a best-seller: it tells a story that needs to be told, and it does so remarkably well. Get ready to have your heart broken, but in all the best ways.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Colonisation

Minor: Death and Alcohol

carinaantonia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Colonisation

majabernhard's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective 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? Yes

5.0

A really important book to read if you live in the nordic countries. It tells a in-dept and honest story about issues you only briefly hear on the news. Really a change in perspective and enlightes your knowledge the sami people and what they have to endure when holding on to their rights.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Blood, and Colonisation

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

mellysay's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

Den här boken är verkligen en fantastiskt  verklig historia om hur det är att vara same och renskötare idag. Ett stort tack till Ann-Helén Laestadius för att du skrivit den här boken och jag ångrar så att jag inte läst den tidigare. Den är så otroligt hjärtskärande och gripande. Jag önskar alla fick en chans att läsa den här boken någon gång i livet, den berättar en sån viktig historia. Den är en gnutta långdragen och det tog lång tid att läsa den, i vissa delar hände det inte jätte mycket men mot slutet tog den fart igen och de sista 100 sidorna kunde jag inte lägga ifrån mig boken. Ett mästerverk. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

bodiesinbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Sexism, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Fatphobia, Xenophobia, Medical content, and Car accident