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nsfonline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
jesseybean's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
justacowboy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Abandonment
hollyd19's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I was surprised (perhaps I shouldn’t have been, given the word ‘secrets’ in the title) by how heavily sex factored in nearly all the stories. It was never gratuitous or explicit, but it did play a much larger role than I had expected. Additionally, I had the impression that the collection would be more... fun? Honestly, for the most part I found it fairly bleak. That’s not to say it wasn’t tender and at times funny, but most stories left me feeling rather melancholy. Each woman featured faces some significant strain — emotionally, relationally, etc — and I would have loved at least one story to be robustly joyful (the closest is How To Make Love to a Physicist). Finally, there is ample mention of church life & culture, but I wouldn’t define any of the protagonists as “church ladies.” They are all church-lady-adjacent, but perhaps that was Philyaw’s chosen device: a window into the lives of church ladies from those who are in some way outside the fold.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Dementia, and Grief
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Murder
gm_vak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Dementia, and Abortion
simonamiller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Homophobia
plumdrop6's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Abortion
bookish_sabrina's review against another edition
- 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
This is a collection of stories about Black women in America. They focus primarily on relationships, whether between an abusive parent and child, an estranged sibling, a lifelong partner, or a new flame. These characters feel fully realized in a handful of pages due to the way the author gives us insight on their deepest vulnerabilities and desires. Many of the stories are characterized by yearning for connection. For instance, in Snowfall, the protagonist masks a disconnect with her partner with a disdain for the unrelenting snows of an East coast winter. Or, the story Peach Cobbler, a story about a mother who withholds nourishment, both literal and emotional, from her daughter who is desperate for both.
No story is out of place here. Oftentimes, a collection will have a couple of middling stories that feel out of place, but each story in here absolutely belongs and continues to impress. I enjoyed how Philyaw experimented with form and story length, which made starting a story feel fresh every time. Highly recommend if you're looking for a collection that has impeccable writing, characters who feel entirely real, and includes queer relationships.
My favorite stories: Dear Sister, Snowfall, Peach Cobbler
Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
sarahaf712's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Dementia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Grief, Abortion, and Death of parent