Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

9 reviews

ellanarose's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Death of parent, War, and Classism

shaun_dh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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

4.0

YA is not my usual genre, but I really enjoyed this! Books from this time period are hard for me bc I’d rather read books about Black joy than Black resilience, but the twist of zombies drew me in

I really only read this in the first place bc it was listed as a book for the Queer Lit Readathon and I was under the impression that the MC is bisexual. She talks an awful lot about interest in boys/men and only a mere two sentences about her having kissed a girl, so idk that I would call this queer representation

The author’s note about Indigenous boarding schools was appreciated bc Idk if that is being taught in schools and if the young audience would know about that otherwise

Overall, this was a good read. Jane is a fantastic MC. I love a young woman who takes no shit from men—especially when it’s so subversive for the time. It would make a killer movie. I liked it enough to want to pick up the sequel. Almost every content warning you can think up for how Black people were treated during that time is applicable, so heed that

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Animal death and Confinement

Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Abortion, and Alcohol

huirangdolly's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Racial slurs

Moderate: Cursing and Classism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

arken_rose's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Slavery

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Domestic abuse, Murder, and War

gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

4.5

As someone who does not often read horror, actually I try to actively avoid it at times, this book came as a surprise love. I could hardly put it down after I started. It also helped me get out of my beginnings of a reading slump with how quick paced and and action grabbing it is.

I love love love the main character Jane with all of her attitude. It is not often that I read a book with a character that makes decisions or acts in a way that has me going "Yeeeeeeeah I would have done that too.". She is someone that I liked reading as she plans and strategies her way through the story. It's always great to read these sorts of characters but with Jane's passion and gentle side to those people who deserve it, made her a really compelling character.
I especially liked her relationship with Katherine. I loved seeing it slowly grow and the two slowly trusting one another and getting to know each other. Katherine is also a nice balance to Jane when reading. She is the well behaved and level headed of the two, and normally the rule follower.

As for the storyline itself, I didn't find it overly scary for a horror book. It has the undead and they do pop up through out the story, but it is not at the forefront of the plot. Instead the story is focused on the racism and the society of the late 1800's. The undead are used as a tool to further highlights these main focuses.
I cannot wait for to read the second book. I have lingering questions about characters and what will happen to them in the next book.

Did MR Gideon get out? Will the Duchess and her girls, Red Jack, and Lily follow Jane and Katherine to California or are they going their own way?

I recommend giving this book a read. If you are not a huge horror fan and/or a scaredy cat like me, I think this is a good read to dip your toe into the genre and see if it is for you or not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Death, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, and War

c_dmckinney's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring tense medium-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

4.25

Jane is apparently bi or pansexual and it looks like Katherine is asexual. That was a delightful surprise even though I'd love to see it explored more. Hopefully in the sequels it will be.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, and War

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

kalmed22's review against another edition

adventurous tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

This story is what happens when you mix historical fiction and science fiction and it is awesome!  Loved the great characters--we have a sassy heroine alongside an interesting cast of characters, plenty of action, mixed with a dynamic plot.  Narrator, Bahni Turpin, is phenomenal.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Police brutality

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Slavery, and Xenophobia

Minor: Genocide

lezzieborden's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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: Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, and Gore