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sheriffrockyraccoon'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? Yes
5.0
This story hit close to home. As it takes place throughout the beginning of the pandemic and George Floyd protests, I truly felt the confusion and terror the characters experienced. I felt comforted, too, not only by their reactions but their conclusions about the world they live in. I fell in love with the characters, especially Tookie, our protagonist. She’s sarcastic, pessimistic, and scared. She also is loyal, self-aware, and brave. Erdrich brought this character to life and gave her such a well-rounded story I truly felt as if I was reading a memoir.
My only complaint- and it is minor- is the random perspective changes to include Hetta and Pollux. While they were interesting, I didn’t feel they added much to the novel and messed a little bit with the pacing of Tookie’s story. Overall, though, this did not change my opinion about how much I loved this book and am proud to display it on my 5 star shelf.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the “human condition” and spirituality in general. There is a wonderful mix of superstition and science that doesn’t discredit the other, rather it embraces that confusing gray area where they both exist. It is also Native American literature, which I am always thrilled to read and learn more about. Overall, for anyone interested in American Lit I consider this a must-read.
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
shoshin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I picked the book as part of a reading challenge, to read a book set on my favorite city. I didn't realize that it was partially set during COVID and the uprising. Hearing about the loss of life and the loss of places I love is still a punch in the gut. I should have realized but somehow still wasn't ready when it came.
I listened to the audiobook, and I could listen to Erdrich all day. Amazing.
Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, and Abandonment
rae1019's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
scmiller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Trafficking
hollyprickles's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
feebles640'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Gun violence, Hate crime, Grief, and Colonisation
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Drug abuse, Racism, Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, and Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual content, and Suicide attempt
hilaryreadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, and Police brutality
emory'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? Yes
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Racism, Police brutality, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, and Colonisation
farenmaddox'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? It's complicated
2.0
In some ways, it's very reflective of real life that the story which was happening to the characters was interrupted and re-prioritized by the pandemic and by George Floyd's death, and some people may find this to be a really profound message. But to me this is not how a novel works and the story I thought was being told in the end, wasn't told properly due to the sharp turn into current events in the second half and then the sudden scramble to resolve the ghost story at the end.
I also think there is some nitpicky things that are coloring my opinion - the amount of attention given to the author self-insert character bothered me more than I can say, and the brief lapses into a different point-of-view character were glaring and weird and unnecessary, contributing nothing to the narrative and not even regular enough to seem deliberate. These things may not bother another reader.
Overall, I would still really like to read more of Erdrich's work, because there was so much potential in this book, some very compelling passages and a charmingly dark humor. But The Sentence missed the mark for me.
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Child abuse and Death of parent
franceselsie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, and Drug abuse