Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam

22 reviews

knifewifestan's review

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Racism, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting

brookey8888's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring fast-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

Wow was very good. I honestly had no clue what this was about when I picked it up, I just recognized the author. This is such an important story that everyone should read. It does discuss hard, but important topics so be prepared. Some of the poems(?) gave me goosebumps. The reason it’s a 4.5 is because it did take me a while to get used to the verse and kind of connect with the story, but once I did I couldn’t put this down. Highly recommend! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Confinement, Racism, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Hate crime

hazel_t23's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Police brutality, Violence, and Cursing

rachelwierick's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Minor: Slavery

jessnreads's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence

Minor: Blood

charlottesomewhere's review

challenging inspiring 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

Absolutely brilliant verse novel about a young black man's experience of being in the prison system for a crime didn't commit. Thought provoking and packs a real punch. A must-read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Racism, and Racial slurs

rebeckareads's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

• Rated 9.29 using the CAWPILE rating system

There is so much anguish, grief, beauty and hope packed into this book. Amal is also a very nuanced characters, which I liked. I do feel like a bit of an idiot though, cause I did not realise it was written by one of the Central Park Five... it makes it all the more gut-wrenching! I remember watching When They See Us and choking up within minutes -- this book had the same effect.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, and Racism

invaderlinz's review

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Blood, Grief, and Physical abuse

therainbowshelf's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

This novel in verse follows the experiences and feelings of Amal Shahid, a black teen facing a prison sentence for a crime he didn't commit. These events are based on the experience of Yusef Salaam, who had a similar conviction and wrote some of the poems while in prison. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Violence

Coma, wrongful incarceration, incarceration of a teenager

enjoyjournaling's review

emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism