mal_reads_books'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
3.25
Nonetheless, I felt immersed in the setting. I also liked reading about the side characters’ abilities and the deals they made with the spirits. I’d like to see a movie adaptation of this.
Graphic: Classism and Racism
Moderate: Police brutality, Gun violence, Slavery, and Violence
Colorism is mentioned; this goes hand in hand with classism among African-Americans.lottiegasp'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
4.5
Moderate: Racism, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Classism
Minor: Slavery
While it deals with serious issues of racism and colorism, I found that it did so in a cathartic rather than heavy or upsetting waylizzie24601's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Gun violence, Classism, and Police brutality
yuna's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Weird coincidence, but it seemed like all of the mother figures in the book kind of sucked. Abandoned their families, sold their children, were homophobic...etc.
Moderate: Racial slurs, Abandonment, and Classism
puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Slavery, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Trafficking, Ableism, Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Confinement, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia
alisylvi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Classism and Racism
Moderate: Police brutality, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Racial slurs
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Classism, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Bullying, Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol
saricostanzo'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: Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, Confinement, Classism, Trafficking, and Violence
just_one_more_paige'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Classism, Death, Slavery, Trafficking, Grief, Racism, Body shaming, Violence, and Alcohol
tigger89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The story's setting was very unique, and really made the novel. Most stories taking place during the Harlem Renaissance are set against the backdrop of, well, Harlem. But as the author explains in her note at the end of the text, circumstances being what they were at the time of writing(covid-19), she found herself needing to set the book a little closer to home. And so we got a wonderful look at the historic Black presence in Washington DC. Clara, the protagonist, is also based on a real woman, Carrie Johnson, who shot and killed a white policeman in 1919...and managed to walk free.
The strongest thing this novel has going for it is the characters. Clara recruits four people to her heist team, each of whom fills a particular role. You've got your thief, your sweet-talker, your con-man, and of course your undercover infiltrator. You might wondering what's left for Clara to do, but the author hasn't forgotten about her. By the end, she gets to step into her own.
If this novel has one flaw, it's that the pacing is inconsistent. Parts of it read almost like a heist movie, particularly the way members of Clara's team flashed back when they entered the story, giving the reader an introduction to them, their lives, and the abilities they brought to the table. But at other times, the pace dropped to be downright glacial. I was never bored with the story, particularly as these slower-paced portions served to develop the setting, but when I'd picked up the book I'd expected something faster-paced, with more sustained tension.
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Classism, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Gun violence