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talonsontypewriters's reviews
313 reviews
Strong premise and opening, but begins to fall apart in execution midway through, and by the last few chapters I was wondering what there still even was to say. If you're more interested in Henrietta Lacks's life and the bioethical issues surrounding HeLa cells than the story of how this book came into being and the experiences of the Lacks children and other descendants, I'd probably recommend finding a different source.
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility, Suicide, and Antisemitism
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, Alcohol, and War
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Death, Incest, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Sexual content
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Grief, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Racism, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Alcohol
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism
Minor: Cancer, Sexual content, Car accident, and Pandemic/Epidemic
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Slavery, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Cancer, Sexual content, and Medical content
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
2.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child death, Gore, Racism, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Rape, Sexual content, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Genocide, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Eating disorder, Gore, Violence, Medical content, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia
2.75
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War