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jenpaul13's review against another edition
3.0
The people you know and the actions you take (or don't) can haunt you throughout your life. Jesmyn Ward's Sing, Unburied, Sing follows one family whose past haunts them and affects their present in an unforeseen way.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Jojo has been an independent and responsible child from an early age, helping to raise his toddler sister Kayla while taking his parental cues from his grandfather (Pop) and grandmother (Mam) instead of his mother Leonie who is unreliable, and seemingly uninterested in her children, and his father Michael who is in prison. Mam has an innate talent for herbal medicine and understanding what people need, but she's never had the ability to see the dead. Whenever Leonie gets high, she's able to see her deceased brother Given, which both comforts and frightens her, particularly now as Mam is slowly dying of cancer and would like nothing more than to see her son again. When Michael is released from prison, Leonie takes Jojo and Kayla on a journey to the prison, where her father once resided, to retrieve him, bringing the past back to life and sparking a momentous change in her children's lives.
Written with well-crafted prose, which felt out of character at times, the lives of Jojo, Leonie, and Richie are vibrantly depicted, weaving their narratives together into a larger, haunting whole. While there is a time period established in which the story takes place, much of the narrative seems to transcend time, which is both fascinating and disheartening, as it demonstrates that the same problems continue to plague society's attitudes, particularly as relating to family dynamics and racial prejudices. Despite being incorporated throughout the story, the presence of the ghosts that Jojo and Leonie interacted with was odd and I didn't feel it added as much as it distracted in its magical realism; it did illustrate the preoccupation that some have over those they've lost in life, but it felt a bit out of place in the overall narrative.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Jojo has been an independent and responsible child from an early age, helping to raise his toddler sister Kayla while taking his parental cues from his grandfather (Pop) and grandmother (Mam) instead of his mother Leonie who is unreliable, and seemingly uninterested in her children, and his father Michael who is in prison. Mam has an innate talent for herbal medicine and understanding what people need, but she's never had the ability to see the dead. Whenever Leonie gets high, she's able to see her deceased brother Given, which both comforts and frightens her, particularly now as Mam is slowly dying of cancer and would like nothing more than to see her son again. When Michael is released from prison, Leonie takes Jojo and Kayla on a journey to the prison, where her father once resided, to retrieve him, bringing the past back to life and sparking a momentous change in her children's lives.
Written with well-crafted prose, which felt out of character at times, the lives of Jojo, Leonie, and Richie are vibrantly depicted, weaving their narratives together into a larger, haunting whole. While there is a time period established in which the story takes place, much of the narrative seems to transcend time, which is both fascinating and disheartening, as it demonstrates that the same problems continue to plague society's attitudes, particularly as relating to family dynamics and racial prejudices. Despite being incorporated throughout the story, the presence of the ghosts that Jojo and Leonie interacted with was odd and I didn't feel it added as much as it distracted in its magical realism; it did illustrate the preoccupation that some have over those they've lost in life, but it felt a bit out of place in the overall narrative.
biscuitdome's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-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
5.0
jaclyncrupi's review against another edition
5.0
This is the book I have been waiting all year for: a strong as hell multi-voice exploring race, family and the legacies of slavery. It's rocketed into my top 5 reads of 2017. Do yourself a favour and get your hands on this book.
elleherrera's review against another edition
4.0
The story is so compelling and eloquent. I love JoJo’s connection with his sister, but am so heartbroken that he needs to be his parent-still a child himself. Trauma is so pervasive in our everyday lives, our memories, our choices, and this is clear Leoni. I lived the back and forth storytelling, because ewe went from hating Leoni in one chapter to feeling empathy for her in the next.
tinlizzyd08's review against another edition
4.0
Powerful and hard to read
This book is hard for me to read. I’ve read it twice and both times were the same. It’s sad and at the same time powerful and raw. The writing is a sort of stream of consciousness, moving from feeling to feeling, telling the story of a black family’s history and current reality, none of it easy or simple. Jojo, the young protagonist, is wise beyond his years but at the same time young and yearning for guidance and understanding from the adults around him. He’s stuck in the past with his grandfather and forced into the future with his mother and sister and the will of time. It’s a book I’m glad to have read but also a book I’m sorry to have to read.
This book is hard for me to read. I’ve read it twice and both times were the same. It’s sad and at the same time powerful and raw. The writing is a sort of stream of consciousness, moving from feeling to feeling, telling the story of a black family’s history and current reality, none of it easy or simple. Jojo, the young protagonist, is wise beyond his years but at the same time young and yearning for guidance and understanding from the adults around him. He’s stuck in the past with his grandfather and forced into the future with his mother and sister and the will of time. It’s a book I’m glad to have read but also a book I’m sorry to have to read.
julalbert56's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-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
4.5
Beautiful prose that portrays how racism, addiction, and abuse destroy childhood innocence.
agp23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
fernzommu's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
fast-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
megklaughtland's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.0