Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

148 reviews

readandteach21's review

dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Racism, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Racial slurs

lindsayorme's review

hopeful inspiring sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault

ajstremke's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Child abuse, and Racism

sydneykae's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Child abuse, and Rape

nicolelovesbooks's review against another edition

3.5

Is it possible to enjoy a book that totally bores you? I liked the writing at the sentence level but this book did not have nearly enough plot for me (especially the first half). The narrator does an excellent job reading all the many characters’ voices though! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, and Death

karenleagermain's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store was on my radar, but I bumped it to the top of my pile as it was the book pick for a book club that I moderate. This story was incredible and impossible to predict. I don't want to give anything away, but know that it is not an easy read and may be very triggering for some readers. I was listening to the audio book, sitting in the middle seat on a flight, and ugly crying. The story absolutely wrecked me.

One thing that I'd like to note is that I can't think of another book where a severely disabled character gets to be a hero. I loved this aspect of the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape

The story is intense and difficult for many reasons, but specifically there are multiple incidences of sexual assault, one towards a woman who is experiencing a medical emergency and the other is towards a twelve year old boy in an asylum. Both are absolutely horrific and explained in detail.

meaglovesbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Rape

irenic's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.75

A great book that told a story that really captured me. A story about how a deaf boy impacted a community, and the relationships that formed. Really enjoyed this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Child abuse

micklesreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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

4.5

A wonderful ensemble of characters here, and the ways that some of the Jews and Black folks in Pottstown cared for one another. McBride has such a gift with place and characterization.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Rape, Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Racial slurs

victoriastarkid's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Excrement

Moderate: Death, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Child abuse