Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

4 reviews

barefootbetsy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

This was excellent! I’m so glad I bought the sequel before I finished this book. Looking forward to starting it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gaslighting, Mass/school shootings, Racism, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Violence, Child death, Grief, Slavery, Torture, Colonisation, Murder, Trafficking, and War

wogslandwriter's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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

5.0

This book is an amazing alternative history story about the racial and class divides of America, the complicated nature of being a mixed black person, and who counts as Black. It's an important perspective beautifully wrapped in zombie fights and pretty 19th century dresses. The characters are lovable but complicated, making them all the better. Jane is a fantastically unreliable narrator, which I love. Piecing together the pieces of her relationships of those around her just from the heavily biased perspective she gives us, is a treat.

I also love the surprise of Summerland and the extreme setting shift that comes with it. Summerland allows Dread Nation to be both a western and a Victorian drama, which are two of my favorite things.

All told the book is an exciting and enjoyable read with phenomenal characters and an interesting plot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Trafficking, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Child abuse, and Slavery

The details of zombie deaths and how the zombies look are not skimped on. They are described in sometimes gruesome detail.

For child death, there is graphic description of the death and consumption by zombies of one of Jane's childhood friends. Jane and her friend are also kidnapped and shipped on a train to the west where they are put to work in slave-like conditions.

There is also violence and racist rhetoric against our main cast of black characters. There is discussion of the conditions of the enslaved prior to the zombie uprising and a large portion of the anti-black rhetoric from characters is based in Christian religion.

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

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

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

Moderate: Child death, Slavery, and Xenophobia

Minor: Genocide