Reviews tagging 'Rape'

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

13 reviews

lsmith725's review against another edition

challenging hopeful sad slow-paced

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

4.5

This is a masterpiece.  The characters became people that I felt like I knew and cared for.  I was so invested.  This also reads kind of like a roller coaster because there are highs and lows for the Neely family throughout the whole thing.  They love each other, but they also hurt each other.  The tone flips back and forth between heartwarming and depressing.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Rape, Alcohol, and Alcoholism

franklola's review

sad slow-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Infertility, Addiction, Murder, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Antisemitism, Classism, Sexual violence, Rape, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, and Grief

lindseyhall44's review

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

One of my favorite books of the year and of all time. Francie’s story will always have a special part of my heart.
——-
“Let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me by cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry…have too much to eat. Let me be ragged or we’ll dressed. Let me be sincere-deceitful. Let me be truthful; let me be a liar. Let me be honorable and let me sin. Only let me be something every blessed minute. And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost.”- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Grief, Alcohol, Death, Alcoholism, Infertility, Infidelity, and Death of parent

Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

periwinkledragon's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing 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? No

5.0

This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. 

When I first picked it up it was under the impression that it would be sort of Anne of Green Gables-y, but boy was I wrong.

This book is a collection of impressions of an outcast girl in an impoverished and changing little world. Her life is exposed to very intense subject matter and it illustrates how she and her family, much like the tree of the title, grow, even though it seems impossible.

I didn't grow up in anything resembling the tenements of Brooklyn, but I was able to connect with the characters and understand on an empathetic or personal level everything that is in this book. Everyone has their flaws, but everyone is beautiful in their own way. I felt the sadness of Francie from being unique and therefore misunderstood by her peers, I sympathized with Katie at being strapped with a financially useless husband and having to save and protect her family, and I felt the American spirit of self-determination and hard work coursing through this book. The author tapped into the human experience and as a reader you know exactly how Francie feels when she falls in love, you burn with anger at the injustice of the powers that be *cough* Democrats *cough*, and you ache with the pure beauty that lives in the human spirit.

I wouldn't recommend this book for children, there is a lot of heavy and complicated subject matter. Also, until you gain a little more experience this book's beauty would be lost on a young reader. For those of an appropriate age though, this book is wonderful and a forgotten masterpiece it seems.

I urge you to read it, take your time with it, and enjoy the experience of reading this for the first time. Books just aren't written like this anymore and you come out the other side of this book with empathy, education, and appreciation for truth and beauty.

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Rape and Murder

my content warnings are why I wouldn't recommend this book for children. It is by no means the most graphic depictions out there, but for a kid it's pretty scary and dark

emily_s_reads's review

relaxing 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? Yes

4.5

The prose is beautiful and warm, but pretty dense at times. The plot is slow because it focuses on the growth and everyday life of the main character and her family.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Classism, Death of parent, and Infertility

Moderate: Pedophilia, Gun violence, Xenophobia, and Rape

sjanke2's review

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, War, Classism, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Addiction, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Rape, Xenophobia, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Infertility, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, and Terminal illness

aurorasandsadprose13's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I really loved this book! It was a bit slow to start, and it was not exactly what I was expecting, but I really loved Francie and learning about her life. This was super character driven without much of a plot but it was still engaging and interesting.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Addiction, Rape, Death of parent, and Antisemitism

issyjanejane's review

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Pedophilia

dunollie's review

emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Child abuse

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexism

slayne's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Antisemitism, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia

Minor: Child death, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts