Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Fire Rush

i feel like it was privilege to read this book and get a glimpse of the black community and dub world of London in late 70s, which has led to some youtube trips to listen to the music genres mentioned to understand the picture better, especially how heavily the plot involves music. The last 20 pages were not my favourite ending at all, I could think of so many satisfying, some less pleasant, endings but considering how close this is to the author's experience it's not my story to change.

Content Warnings

reflectiverambling_nalana's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

There is absolutely a person out there who this work was made for, who it will resonate. I feel that deep in my bones. Sadly, I am not that person. I appreciate this story for its parts, for what it's trying to do. If consumed in its individual segments there is a lot to love. There is a high reliability to Yamaye's passion for dub as a tool for avoiding, of getting lost. I appreciate her lyricism. However, the gap between our experiences and time frames was a bit too distant for me to cling onto her emotionally as I really needed to and was not compensated by the overall writing.

I am fortunate to say I have not had to deal with the traumas experienced in the early life of Yamaye or that which happens in the course of this novel. As a white rural American woman I will never feel her experience of the world or her fears. Unfortunately, the mental blockades people who have had to live in worlds and around people that our lead character has creates this wall between me as a reader that I couldn't quite climb.

Personally I think the biggest issue hampering me from digging into this novel was the pacing. I feel the most successful parts of the novel were in her discovery of self with Moose, of her time in Jamaica. However her entire involvement with the underworld seemed to both fly by and drag on. I never quite felt what I needed to as she was drawn in. It was more of a crash than a spiral to her disillusionment. I was craving more suspense. A slow drowning. it also didn't help that I felt disconnected with how she got there in the first place circumstantially. I was never sure if it was random paranoia of the general conditions of the time, or if she really had a direct threat , and exactly how she was targeted for the events that occurred as up to that time she had herself been rather 'clean'.

I don't require tidy endings. I don't need full conclusions. But the story lines that actually made me feel invested gave way to what was the weaker side plot and invested the remainder of the book in a crash of a finale for that particular chapter of her life.

For all my disconnect, I do absolutely recognize the importance. I appreciate the pieces of history and the snapshot of a culture. I wanted more of Yamaye discovering herself creatively. i wanted her to crack open her feelings and find her absolution in her music, forge her path that way. There are hints of that. And much of her progression does happen through these moments she steals. But I can't help but feel she also lost just as much of herself to them as well.

Content Warnings

sophsg88's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.0

Got into the story at the beginning of the book, but found I kept losing the thread of the plot. Particularly in the Bristol section. Enjoyed the final part the most, with the descriptions of Jamaica and picking up the pace.

Content Warnings

qqjj's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

Content Warnings

katarinabee's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging 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? No

4.25

This was fantastic to read as an audiobook - I loved hearing patois spoken aloud by Leonie Elliot, and the excerpts of music that sometimes played in the background created so much atmosphere and context. I loved how embodied and powerful music was in this book - almost to the point that Yamaye's descriptions of music at times felt like magic realism. I also really liked the concept of how history isn't in the past - it's always embedded in the present, and continuing to reverberate alongside our lives. Occasionally the plot lost a bit of steam and felt a little disjointed - but overall I thought this book was great, and can't wait to see what Jacqueline Crooks writes next.

Content Warnings

geraldinerowe's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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? No

3.75

Fire Rush swept me into a world I previously knew nothing about. The author expertly takes you into the mind of the protagonist as she goes on her journey to discover those she really loves. However, the story itself is fragmented in places. Some episodes begin strongly but stop abruptly. Some major plot lines are never resolved. This is a good book, but it could have been great.

Content Warnings

kwahl's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful tense

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

4.0

Content Warnings

wordsofclover's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-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? No

3.5

Content Warnings

More...