rubybeast47'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Death, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Vomit, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Child death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Police brutality, Slavery, and Suicide
bookme007's review
2.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Death, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual assault, Self harm, Physical abuse, Vomit, Violence, Sexual violence, and Bullying
professorbadger's review
- 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
This book is full of the kinds of stories we hate to believe happen in real life. But Cynthia Bond lived some of them and worked with teens who have lived others, and you can feel the truth of it all radiating out from her writing. And I really can’t overstate the beauty of Bond’s writing and the way she created a fully detailed world and living, breathing characters. Agonizing as it was to read, it was one of my favorite novels in a long time.
Graphic: Child death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Trafficking, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Pedophilia
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Following a horrific childhood Ruby escapes to the big city where she survives rather than thrives. Being summoned back to her southern hometown, which remains keen to judge and condemn her for the sins done to her, precipitates a breakdown. The care and kindness of Ephraim, a childhood friend who has trauma of his own to deal with, eventually helps her to make peace with her past, to somehow learn to live with it.
Ruby seems personify the entirety of trauma suffered by Black women in America. The book clearly fits in the lineage of Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. At times the trauma felt overbearing and too much. But I’m well aware that says more about my privilege than the reality others experience. I was both pleased and relieved though that the ending offered some small measure of hope.
I’m not normally a fan of “magical realism” but I found it worked for me in this case. Apart from its use in scenes of voodoo and black magic I thought it a really effective way to demonstrate the trauma Ruby suffered and the inner turmoil she continued to live with, a way to explain the inexplicable, to say the unspeakable.
The writing was wonderfully evocative, the characters unforgettable, and the story totally compelling. But very much not a book for everyone.
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Violence
lowkeymarie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Animal death, Eating disorder, Excrement, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Racism, Racial slurs, Trafficking, and Vomit
benslette's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Emotional abuse
incigiru's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Racism, Rape, Racial slurs, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Hate crime, Misogyny, Cursing, Child death, Child abuse, Mental illness, and Gun violence
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Body shaming, Torture, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Animal death, Ableism, Biphobia, and Miscarriage
tina94's review
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Ableism, Toxic relationship, Torture, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Gore, Death, Child abuse, and Animal cruelty