Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

11 reviews

azureumbreon's review against another edition

challenging dark informative tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Blood, Violence, Death, Confinement, Torture, Police brutality, Classism, and Dementia

Moderate: Suicide, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Racism, Racial slurs, and Cancer

taracloudclark's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? Yes

5.0

Just Mercy and Hunger Games had a baby and Handmaid’s Tale and Unwind looked on at the christening. Beloved looks down from heaven in approval. 

What an action-packed, hard truth story! And a fantastic depiction of what might actually come about if current societal sins go unchecked. 

Narrators were incredible, giving even more humanness to these already hyper human characters, a rawness that is felt in the core. 

May God have mercy on our souls. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Cancer, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Misogyny, Gore, Homophobia, Torture, Slavery, Violence, Murder, Racism, and Trafficking

booksandteatime's review

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Confinement, Death, Murder, Blood, Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, Gore, Cancer, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence

glammster's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• 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: Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Colonisation, Cursing, Misogyny, Racism, Torture, Gore, Sexism, Trafficking, Murder, Death of parent, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Self harm, Sexual violence, Blood, Confinement, Racial slurs, Slavery, Cancer, Child death, Classism, Death, and Rape

biobeetle's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Confinement, Suicide, Blood, Torture, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Racism

Moderate: Classism, Gore, Cursing, Slavery, Hate crime, and Grief

Minor: Cancer

tinyplanet's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Torture, Murder, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Self harm, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Blood

Minor: Antisemitism, Infidelity, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Classism, Cursing, Homophobia, Vomit, Emotional abuse, Transphobia, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Alcohol, Death of parent, Deportation, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Rape

dominiq_ec's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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

I mean, this is just one of the best books I've read in a while. Considering another dystopian / apolalyptic favorite of mine, Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin, its so rooted in human rights issues in the United States, and is just dystopian enough to convince you that we may not see this come to fruition. But what if we do? How will you think? 

I thought that Thurwar and Staxxx both died at the end, but I was wrong and now my heart is broken.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Suicide, Cancer, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racism, Sexual content, Cursing, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, Blood, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Torture, and Self harm

Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Hate crime, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Car accident

I mean, this book does force you to take a relatively deep look at the United States penal system, which does include reading about the crimes some of these characters committed, as well as how they are (mis)treated by those that are responsible for their care. At the same time, these incarcerated folks are fighting to the death for entertainment's sake, so there's a lot of gory, violent descriptions. There is mentions of rape, but no graphic details. There is torture, and loss of life. It's a troubling book, so read with caution.

lycheejelly's review

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Self harm, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Homophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Gore, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Medical content, and Medical trauma

olivia_vosper's review

challenging dark sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Torture, Suicide, Self harm, Death, Toxic relationship, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Blood, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer and Transphobia

sarah984's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-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

5.0

"I seen men I knew were a danger to the world and they too deserve better than this." 

I don't even know what to say about this one. Brutal and honest, great character writing. A little bit of speculative fiction to shine a light on the horrors existing right now. In some places it feels a little "abolition 101" but overall the prose sings. Phenomenal.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Self harm

Moderate: Medical content, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Blood, Gore, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Racism, Cancer, and Suicide

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Slavery, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Religious bigotry