Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

22 reviews

kiwi_of_serenity's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

As I read this book I became more and more delighted. I picked it up because the idea of reading something set in 2020 was intriguing, and Erdrich just added layer after layer to the cake. First there’s Tookie’s backstory and the themes of grave robbery it hughlights. Then there’s the haunting- chilling yet casually nestled in a real bookstore in Minneapolis. Tookie and Hetta’s beautiful relationship, bookstore antics and details, Louise’s appearance sin her own book all pile until the lockdown actually starts and you remember that there’s this while other huge layer if intensity about to descend on Minneapolis. It was cathartic and beautiful and very, very probing. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Abandonment

sadhbhprice's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment

Minor: Pregnancy

shoshin's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful medium-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? Yes

5.0

This was my first Erdrich book, and I regret that it took me so long to get to her despite all of the good things I have heard. 

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. 

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Content Warnings

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

stephe's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

The Sentence is beautifully, lovingly written, capturing the power that books and stories and memories have to reveal deep and painful truths—about ourselves, those around us, and our worlds. It also faithfully captures a moment in Minneapolis (and the world) in which deep pain and patterns of systemic abuse came bubbling up and out into the streets, all in the midst of the darkest times of the Quarantine Era. Having lived in Minneapolis during most of these events, it was hard to read at times. And yet, Tookie and the whole cast of characters brought so much life and depth and joy to the story that I finished it with hope that, together, we can reckon with that which haunts us and welcome healing into our lives.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Racism, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Sexual violence

jesstaurant's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, Medical content, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

sydneyjn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-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

3.0

I struggled with this book.  Set in Minneapolis during the George Floyd riots and the pandemic, this is HEAVY.  This is also heavy because of the decisions the characters make, though I have the admit that the combination of making decisions that are good for you and ones that are self-destructive was very real.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Cultural appropriation, and Abandonment

rae1019's review against another edition

challenging emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

jeanbpdx's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Racism, and Colonisation

Minor: Slavery and Abandonment

Shoutout to the many book lists within this book.

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I just flew through this one because I liked it so much. I can't wait to revisit its booklist and to get out to Minnesota to visit the bookshop. What an interesting realistic fiction that Ms. Erdrich crafted. The writing is so meaningful and enthralling. What a book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Stalking

Minor: Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Definitely not an escape-from-covid read!