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A review by aimiller
Atlanta Burns by Chuck Wendig
dark
tense
medium-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
2.0
There is a lot to unpack here. Let's start with two percent of the way through the ebook, where a character of color's skin is described with food terms. Then, self-conscious (but don't worry, fully benign!) racism on the part of the main character, then the graphic description of a sexual assault. And it just. Kept getting worse and worse. The fact that it ends with a LITERAL IT GETS BETTER VIDEO IN THE TEXT was. Too much for me.
I'm not sure if this book is listed as YA on this site due to a bunch of bad tagging (which happens!) but it's wildly graphic and I would have to really know a kid to recommend they read it, and even then I don't know that I would.
It was just too much and kept getting worse and worse, until I was left like. Stunned by the ending because it seemed so surreal and like a joke. I understand this book was written probably with good intentions, but it was just. So bad.
I'm not sure if this book is listed as YA on this site due to a bunch of bad tagging (which happens!) but it's wildly graphic and I would have to really know a kid to recommend they read it, and even then I don't know that I would.
It was just too much and kept getting worse and worse, until I was left like. Stunned by the ending because it seemed so surreal and like a joke. I understand this book was written probably with good intentions, but it was just. So bad.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
This book is just a minefield of triggers.