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tex2flo's review against another edition
5.0
A story of exquisite torture
Ward is a master at painting a picture that lives and breathes. The story she tells here is exquisite torture—a girl slave who learns about what the earth can provide and how to protect herself. Her mother gave her gifts of knowledge and strength. The imagery is righteous and smelly and stinging. The air she weaves is as thick as river mud. I read this somewhat as a penance for what my ancestors surely laid upon others. Thankfully, the read is fast and I don’t have to endure the knowledge-pain during the reading for long.
Ward is a master at painting a picture that lives and breathes. The story she tells here is exquisite torture—a girl slave who learns about what the earth can provide and how to protect herself. Her mother gave her gifts of knowledge and strength. The imagery is righteous and smelly and stinging. The air she weaves is as thick as river mud. I read this somewhat as a penance for what my ancestors surely laid upon others. Thankfully, the read is fast and I don’t have to endure the knowledge-pain during the reading for long.
meags816's review against another edition
4.0
Haunting, beautiful, hard. Sometimes the magical realism is a lot, but overall I enjoyed the book.
kate_albers's review against another edition
5.0
This is a beautiful novel. Ward is a national treasure.
cassiejones11's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.0
emilyakers11821's review against another edition
3.0
Annis grew up on a plantation with her mom and the man that forcefully sired her. Once she has finally reached an age of maturity he decides to sell her mother. Then he sells her and her best friend off. Now she has to walk across states to make it to New Orleans where she will be sold to a different plantation. Along the way she just yearns for her mom. And then for her friend safi when she’s able to make it away. She ends up in a woman’s plantation but that’s not any better because she’s abusive and starves them to their breaking point. Annis only has the spirits around her who say they are helping. She doesn’t know what to do with her life and she doesn’t know which decisions to make or who to trust.
This book was good and obviously awful for what it is. Reading about the times of slavery and all they had to endure is never going to have a happy ending. Even in a fiction book. I enjoyed reading this book and watching annis try and stand up for everyone around her but sometimes the metaphors and imagery were too much for me and confused me. I don’t necessarily think that is my type of book vibe. I tend to like more literal writing but in the end I think reading this book was necessary. While it is fiction it felt as if it was being told by someone actually living it. The author did a good job of putting the emotions and actions of the time and making it feel very realistic.
This book was good and obviously awful for what it is. Reading about the times of slavery and all they had to endure is never going to have a happy ending. Even in a fiction book. I enjoyed reading this book and watching annis try and stand up for everyone around her but sometimes the metaphors and imagery were too much for me and confused me. I don’t necessarily think that is my type of book vibe. I tend to like more literal writing but in the end I think reading this book was necessary. While it is fiction it felt as if it was being told by someone actually living it. The author did a good job of putting the emotions and actions of the time and making it feel very realistic.
klaudel's review against another edition
5.0
DNF - Ward is a beautiful writer. Her storytelling is well crafted and pulls you into the world and emotions of the protagonist. The legacy of the white man, of enslavement, is one of pure devastation, evil, and grief. I read about 40 pages before I decided to put the book down; my heart couldn't take it. I may come back to finish this book later.
lratkinson's review against another edition
4.0
I loved listening to the audio version of this novel that was read by the author. Used for the prompt, a strong opening hook “The first weapon I ever held was my mother’s hand.”
brockter's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is exquisite, painful, and so well done.
bridget_in_md's review against another edition
3.0
3 Stars for Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward. This is the story of Annis, a slave ripped away from the only home and people she knew, sold south by the white owner who fathered her. As she is dragged in ropes and chains, marching towards a sugarcane plantation in Lousisana, Annis seeks comfort from memories of her mother, stories of her African warrior grandmother, and spirits that encouraged them to stay strong. While her spirit and will to live was inspiring and heartbreaking, I felt there was so much spiritual interaction, it actually took away from Annis's story.
tkuchta's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
fast-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