Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

The Between: Novel, A by Tananarive Due

26 reviews

jonathaneden's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Stalking, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness

sdsmith80's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

<strong>What a debut!</strong>

I read this book for a bookclub I'm in (shout-out to the Ghoulish Discord bookclub!) and I'm very pleased with the pick! It is truly very well written, and it's really hard to believe that this was her debut novel. The characterizations were excellent, and it was easy to slip into Hilton's head as he felt like he was losing his sanity. 

By the end I very much cared about each person, and dreaded the conclusion. Even though there were plenty of clues leading up to the final moments, and I had a good idea of what was going to happen, it didn't lessen the emotional impact when it came. 

There is a reason Tananarive Due is so well regarded, and this book illustrates it clearly.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Car accident

Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, and Grief

bookishbutch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

lilias's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Grief

Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Death of parent

nannahnannah's review against another edition

5.0

I feel like I’ve heard Tananarive Due’s name around, and now I know why. Her writing and characterization are superb. I had to stop to take notes on some of the ways she made the main character's book-long breakdown seem so real and emotionally powerful. And in a debut! So glad this was published in the 90s, because I can read what else she’s done since then.

Representation:
- the main character and his family (as well as most of the secondary characters) are Black
- the MC’s friend is Latino

When he was a child, Hilton found his grandmother, "Nana", dead in the kitchen. After he returned with help, she was alive. But he knew she had been dead. Later, Nana sacrificed herself to save him. Now in his mid-thirties, Hilton begins to have surreal nightmares, his family has a stalker sending racist death threats, and Hilton dissolves into paranoia and delusion. His family thinks he needs help, but he’s convinced there's something supernatural behind his breakdown … and it all comes back to Nana.

This book kept me up until three in the morning. Regularly. I am stunned that it has so few reviews. Everything -- every last detail -- is carefully planned to make the reading experience more immersive. Hilton’s PoV as a child is written in a very simplistic way. I thought perhaps the author was a little uncertain handling her debut, but when his adult PoV became more sophisticated, I realized Tananarive Due knew what she was doing. Everything is deliberate (another, more common example being the dream scenes written in present tense while everything else is in past).

I’m not even sure what more there is to say, except that this kept me on the edge of my seat, even during scenes I normally wouldn’t like (i.e. scenes involving cheating on one’s partner). As Hilton slowly felt like he was losing his grip on reality, I felt lost with him. So, so well done.

I cannot wait to read what else this author has written.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Minor: Child abuse

also: unrealty (graphic); and re: racism - it's anti-black racism & hate crimes (the threat of one becomes part of the main plot)

cleches's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, and Racism

whatevanreads's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

After finishing this masterpiece of a psychological horror, I can safely say Tananarive Due is my new favorite horror author. The descriptive language she uses throughout produces some of the most compelling, convincing, and vivid imagery I’ve ever read in any horror novel in my life. There were multiple moments while reading where I audibly exclaimed, “what the f*ck??” I actually got chills at a few parts as well. I’m all over the place right now, but just know this is definitely among the best books I’ve read all year. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

pclairx's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, and Racism

lizflynn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism

oinkoink's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Eerie, unsettling, disturbing. Major racism TW. You really get a close-and-personal ride along inside the mind of a man becoming undone. Had me questioning what was supernatural vs. clinical all the way to the end, which I both did and didn't like.

given that there were in fact supernatural elements at play, it would've been nice to have a bit more depth/lore/exploration in that department.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident

Minor: Homophobia