Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

38 reviews

sadhbhprice's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Minor: Pregnancy

sheriffrockyraccoon's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Another addition to my 5 star reads! Louise Erdrich deserves all the accolades she’s received and more for her writing.

This story hit close to home. As it takes place throughout the beginning of the pandemic and George Floyd protests, I truly felt the confusion and terror the characters experienced. I felt comforted, too, not only by their reactions but their conclusions about the world they live in. I fell in love with the characters, especially Tookie, our protagonist. She’s sarcastic, pessimistic, and scared. She also is loyal, self-aware, and brave. Erdrich brought this character to life and gave her such a well-rounded story I truly felt as if I was reading a memoir.

My only complaint- and it is minor- is the random perspective changes to include Hetta and Pollux. While they were interesting, I didn’t feel they added much to the novel and messed a little bit with the pacing of Tookie’s story. Overall, though, this did not change my opinion about how much I loved this book and am proud to display it on my 5 star shelf.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the “human condition” and spirituality in general. There is a wonderful mix of superstition and science that doesn’t discredit the other, rather it embraces that confusing gray area where they both exist. It is also Native American literature, which I am always thrilled to read and learn more about. Overall, for anyone interested in American Lit I consider this a must-read.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

shoshin's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

This was my first Erdrich book, and I regret that it took me so long to get to her despite all of the good things I have heard. 

I picked the book as part of a reading challenge, to read a book set on my favorite city. I didn't realize that it was partially set during COVID and the uprising. Hearing about the loss of life and the loss of places I love is still a punch in the gut. I should have realized but somehow still wasn't ready when it came. 

I listened to the audiobook, and I could listen to Erdrich all day. Amazing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, and Abandonment

greenan26's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Grief, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Death and Police brutality

cassielaj's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-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? Yes

4.25

I enjoyed this, though it was extremely heavy and challenging at times. Erdrich takes such a fascinating approach in this story, exploring the complexities and horrors of 2020 through the eyes of a fictional character whose own life has been filled with its own complexities and horrors. This story explores haunting both literal and figurative. It opened my eyes in many ways. Though the plot was circuitous at times, it mostly came together, supported by some excellent writing and living, breathing characters. Reading Erdrich’s author’s note about the importance of books and how people cling to them really cemented it for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic

booksandteatime's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

ewinnk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Cultural appropriation, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

rae1019's review against another edition

challenging emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

hollyprickles's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

greatexpectations77's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I just flew through this one because I liked it so much. I can't wait to revisit its booklist and to get out to Minnesota to visit the bookshop. What an interesting realistic fiction that Ms. Erdrich crafted. The writing is so meaningful and enthralling. What a book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Stalking

Minor: Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Definitely not an escape-from-covid read!