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shlymiller's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs
Minor: Child death and Grief
brittanykroeckel's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
I’ll start off with why I didn’t give a 5– the format for me was hard to follow. I often need structure in my reading cause I tend to lose track and get distracted. So it was a slight challenge and new for me but it doesn’t take away from the book.
This was a great book and I’m glad I finally got it off my tbr!!! I liked how each of the stories was connected to a previous character in one way or another. It felt like a domino effect but not too forced either. I think this is a great book club read as it made me reflect on the challenges they were facing and how these are reflected in the lives of others different from myself. Although each was a short story, I easily felt emotions for these characters and reactions to their individual things going on. I’d recommend this to anyone!!
This was a great book and I’m glad I finally got it off my tbr!!! I liked how each of the stories was connected to a previous character in one way or another. It felt like a domino effect but not too forced either. I think this is a great book club read as it made me reflect on the challenges they were facing and how these are reflected in the lives of others different from myself. Although each was a short story, I easily felt emotions for these characters and reactions to their individual things going on. I’d recommend this to anyone!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Classism
Moderate: Child death and Racial slurs
salemander's review
4.5
very beautifully written and tragic collection of stories. wasn’t a fan of the language and treatment of the chinese characters in one of the stories, it really wasn’t necessary. the mrs. davis and litefeet chapters made me so fucking sad for those kids, the education system is so fucked and i know those stories came from real experiences. overall a very interesting book and the way it was written phonetically was really cool!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Classism
badmom's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
Intriguing set of vignettes centered on people living in/associated with a Harlem apartment building targeted for gentrification. The characters’ flaws are highlighted but with loving care; they struggle because they’re at the mercy of a racist & classist system.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia, Sexism, and Sexual content
cass_lit's review against another edition
3.5
What I liked about this:
- Each character was so flushed out despite only having a short story to themselves
- It’s a collection of stories about almost-strangers whose lives are connected by their living location
What kept me from loving it:
- Some of the main characters were very unlikable. I’m just not a huge fan of an unlikeable narrator.
- Many of the MCs used racist (often against Chinese side characters), ableist, and fatphobic language
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Racism
Moderate: Fatphobia and Racial slurs
Minor: Ableism