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melodyseestrees's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Other than that, in my mind, major issue the story was okay. Some scenes were enjoyable, others were not. I suspect I am just not a 'history turned fiction' reader as had these characters been wholly fiction my enjoyment of it would have been greater.
If you like history but not enough to have read all about the events during Lincoln's life you will probably enjoy this.
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Death, and Slavery
Moderate: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Minor: Suicide, Terminal illness, Hate crime, Genocide, Kidnapping, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War
calamitymeat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
I guess I will start by saying I watched the movie first. My partner had an Abraham Lincoln phase for like 3 years when they were younger, so when we were doing a movie marathon on Letterboxd and found out that it fit the criteria for the list we were following and watched it right away. And I loved it in a "this is so ridiculous, it's tone deaf, it's a white saviour movie, it's perfect." I told everyone I talked to for the following week that they needed to watch the movie because it was truly one of the most entertaining things I had ever watched.
And I just downloaded Libby and completely coincidentally, it was on the front page of my local library's October reading list. And that's when I found out it was a series. So, when I was promised Jack the Ripper and the JFK assassination in the second one, I obviously needed to read the first one so I could read that one. The book is FAR from the unbelievably insane, kind of camp in a way masterpiece that was the movie.
Normally, I would be fine with this. I understand this was a ten and a half hour audiobook (the last 20 or 30 minutes is acknowledgements, sources, etc.) and to condense that into a two hour or less movie is going to involve a lot of cuts. And I'm fine with that. It definitely worked in the movie's favour. However, the main difference was that the book was trying to be as historically accurate as possible, while the movie was a blockbuster extravaganza that did whatever the hell it wanted, like having a vampire throw a horse at Abe's head and having his axe also be part gun.
The problem with trying to be as historically accurate as possible is that this is a white author talking about slavery. And bringing vampires into slavery. And saying the ENTIRE CONFEDERACY WAS VAMPIRES AND THAT WAS WHY THEY WANTED SLAVES SO BAD. And I could accept that for the movie. The movie was not serious at all and I was able to remove myself enough to laugh at it for being tone deaf, but still not let it hinder my experience of the movie. But because the book takes itself so seriously and was so dedicated to historical accuracy, I had a much harder time removing myself from that detail.
There are a couple more things that I think should have been given another thought, specifically, it should have been shown to some sort of sensitivity reader. These things include:
Abraham Lincoln writes in his diary, "So long as this country is cursed by slavery, it will be cursed with vampires." This is described as the greatest and most important thing he ever wrote in his life. The Emancipation Proclamation would beg to differ. John Wilkes Booth hating Abraham Lincoln not because he was racist, not because he advocated that much for slavery, but because he was a vampire and Abe was a vampire hunter. All Nazis also being all vampires and the Holocaust being a second vampire uprising. Abraham finally realizing they need to do something and wage war against the south once he is told that ALL of mankind will eventually be enslaved by vampires. Just black people wasn't enough.
Overall, this is a white saviour book and it is incredibly tone deaf, but I think you definitely expect that from the name and the premise alone. It works much better as a movie. It should not have taken itself so seriously. And maybe it should have been written by anyone other than a white man.
I will, of course, begin listening to the sequel immediately.
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, War, Gore, Hate crime, and Racism
Moderate: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Antisemitism
purplepickle's review against another edition
- 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
How the hell am I supposed to move on from this masterpiece? How will I think of anything other than the life of the greatest vampire hunter to ever live? How dare this book be one of the only books I enjoyed this year. I didn’t sleep for 3 days, I didn’t want to put this book down until I finished it. Even when I did put it down, it help me captive over the thought of what would happen next? I learned more about history from this book than I ever have in a history class, AND ENJOYED IT!
Ihate this book for being one of the most well-written, well-researched books I have ever read. I mean come on, LISTEN TO ME! I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS A SILLY PRESIDENTIAL FANFICTION! IT IS SO SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. An easy, easy 5 stars.
But seriously, how the hell am I supposed to look someone in the eyes and tell them that this is my favorite book of all time? The best book I read in 2023? So yea, TDLR this book was ok ig
Graphic: Gore, Violence, War, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Torture, Murder, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Alcohol
read.this.book.phillyhufflepunk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, Slavery, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Death, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, and War
fjordpingvin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Slavery, Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Moderate: War
heather667's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Death, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, War, Blood, Child death, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Slavery
Moderate: Medical content, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Kidnapping and Genocide
hunkydory's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Child death, War, Violence, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Gore, Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
mickij's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Gore, Murder, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Slavery, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Suicide and Suicide attempt
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Child death, Murder, Gore, Blood, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Grief, Kidnapping, Racism, and Violence
sofiaxaguilar's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence