Reviews tagging 'War'

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

20 reviews

raru's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

The first two thirds of the book are beautiful and riveting, deftly constructed, but the pacing of the last third is awful. The story loses all momentum and you’re left with basically a 200 page epilogue. Unfortunately the lack of unified storyline in that section is not very effective. I still recommend reading at least the first 4 books/sections.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Racism, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Violence, and War

nialiversuch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Grief, Hate crime, Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, War, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Racism, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Child death, Gore, Genocide, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Torture, Cannibalism, Sexual content, Vomit, Cursing, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, and Fire/Fire injury

taylorlanxon's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: War, Murder, Violence, Death, Torture, Animal death, Child death, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Racism, and Blood

linddykal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, War, Violence, Sexism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Racism, Classism, and Ableism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Cultural appropriation, Confinement, Violence, Child abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, and Xenophobia

Minor: Infertility

zoebaillie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, Animal death, Child death, and Abandonment

Moderate: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Ableism, and Death of parent

Minor: War and Torture

Mention of child prostitution, imprisonment

jemworster's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: War, Death, Death of parent, and Child death

elizapease's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective slow-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

5.0

Really a masterpiece. This book transfixed me from beginning to end. I felt the entire time as though I was in the Congo with the Price family, enduring their fathers abuse, their mothers neglect, and sisterly in-fighting. Kingsolver’s use of prose is phenomenal. Each character is rich and dynamic. They feel SO real. Kingsolver masterfully develops the Price family throughout the novel, creating an epic that spans decades, continents, and planes of existence.

 I was especially impressed by how ahead of its time this book was - considering it was written in the 80’s, it’s commentary on capitalism, nationalism, communism, and the treatment of Africa by the United States is quite searing and insightful. Kingsolver writes with such incredible empathy about people from all walks of life. 

Be warned: this is not an easy read, in content or difficulty. But it is so so worth it.  Breathtaking. This book will stick with me forever. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, War, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, and Death

caseyf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, War, Death, Racism, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Sexism, Colonisation, and Misogyny

madelinekramer2021's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, War, Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Hate crime, Genocide, Racial slurs, Vomit, Ableism, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, and Domestic abuse

rowena42's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Racism

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Animal death, War, and Violence