Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology by Shane Hawk, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

42 reviews

emilycdennis's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Gore, Colonisation, Racism, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, and Misogyny

lefthandlou's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

Favorites:
- Navajos Don’t Wear Elk Teeth
- Wingless 
- Before I Go
- Behind Colin’s Eyes
- Scariest Story Ever
- Dead Owls
- Uncle Robert Rides the Lightning 
- The Scientist’s Horror Story

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Rape, Sexual violence, Gore, Racism, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse

matchamarimo's review

challenging dark tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Pedophilia, Body horror, and Gore

cerasaurusrex's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Abortion, Addiction, Cannibalism, Gun violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Body horror, Bullying, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Racism, Drug abuse, Gore, Grief, and Violence

jayla_hh's review

dark mysterious tense

4.75

I need to read all of these authors other works

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture and Blood

Moderate: Body horror, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

idk_indigo's review against another edition

I don't like the short stories in audiobook format. It's too confusing. I also don't think this is the book for me. A lot of the stories were interesting, but heavy warning for so many things. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Body horror, and Racism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Incest, Kidnapping, and Rape

Minor: Transphobia, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Trafficking, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse

bkwrm1317's review

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

I generally don’t enjoy short stories, but do like anthologies a bit more sometimes. I found so many new authors whose work I want to read here and thoroughly enjoyed near all of these dark fiction short stories. 

Please do note CWs as there are a number to be aware of, and that shift from story to story. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Pedophilia, Body horror, Colonisation, Racism, Abandonment, and Torture

blchabot's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

A fantastic compilation of Indigenous stories told by Indigenous people. There is a harrowing sense of realism in each of the stories within this anthology, proof that culturally significant narratives are best told through the eyes and mouths of those who have lived it. Definitely a top read for 2024

As someone who loves myth, folklore and sharing scary stories around a campfire, I was enthralled with  the concept of so many different "scary stories" told by Indigenous writers.

"Never Whistle at Night" is a compilation of 26 stories exploring dark themes that really highlights the incredible significance of storytelling for all Indigenous people.

Each story tackles a uniquely dark and harrowing topic ranging from the obvious topics of racism, colonialism, residential schools and the effect of generational trauma, NWAN touches Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, blood quantum and Indigenous monsters like the Kusktuka.

Some of my favourites included:

· Navajos don't wear Elk Teeth by @conleylyons
A man moves into a new neighbourhood and finds himself in a strange relationship with a very forward man who keeps an even stranger collection.

· Tick Talk by Cherie Dimaline
A man goes on a hunting trip after losing his father only to end up with a little passenger who won't quite go away.

· Snakes are Born in the Dark by D.H. Trujillo
A spelunking trip to see protected Indigenous cave painting goes horribly wrong when a white man chooses to engage in casual racism.

In order to engage in the cultural act of oral storytelling, I listened to this on audible. I highly recommend it, so you too can truly experience these stories.

There is an emotional difference when you hear stories written by the likes of Cherie Dimaline, DH Trujillo and Rebecca Roanhorse read by incredible narrators like @ghostkeepermusic @kaniehtiio @thesheldonelter that really puts you in the story.

I had so many visceral emotions when contemplating the things left unsaid at the end of each of the short stories but the most terrifying part was how monstrous humanity has, and continues to be towards the Indigenous Community. The acknowledgments, read by editors shane.hawk and @tvayyyy said it best:

It's something else to be a monster made man, in a world of man made monsters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Gore, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Blood, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Racism, Violence, Addiction, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Body horror, Child death, and Classism

Residential Schools

paintedanna's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Each chapter was its own little horror story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Child death, Murder, Gaslighting, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Genocide, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Sexual harassment, Blood, Vomit, Transphobia, and Death

eficca33's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

This collection of short stories was intense and brilliant. Please check TW for yourself before reading, but it's worth it!! Some of these stories will stay in my mind for months, I know it!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Racial slurs, Bullying, Chronic illness, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Racism, Trafficking, Violence, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Torture, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Animal death, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, Death of parent, and Kidnapping