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jaclyn_sixminutesforme's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault
editorsel's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
In Perish, we get a look into such a complicated, painful, and tender family portrait that spans generations and cycles of violence within a Black family in Texas.
We follow several different POVs and timelines, and while the writing and storytelling was beautiful, I found the numerous perspectives, coupled with the intricate webs of sodomy and abuse, to be difficult to keep track of, both logistically and emotionally. I found myself wanting to follow certain characters more, and even wanting a bit more resolve for certain plot lines. I think focusing on so many different characters that shared the same threads of abuse in its many forms made it so that each character became only their facet of abuse.
Overall, though, this book really pushes you to consider the extent to which people deserve forgiveness, what is necessary for yourself and others to heal, and to better understand the complexity of where generational trauma and abuse starts and ends. It’s heavily a character driven book, with little plot outside of that, but certainly an impactful read, but not an easy or enjoyable read, personally.
We follow several different POVs and timelines, and while the writing and storytelling was beautiful, I found the numerous perspectives, coupled with the intricate webs of sodomy and abuse, to be difficult to keep track of, both logistically and emotionally. I found myself wanting to follow certain characters more, and even wanting a bit more resolve for certain plot lines. I think focusing on so many different characters that shared the same threads of abuse in its many forms made it so that each character became only their facet of abuse.
Overall, though, this book really pushes you to consider the extent to which people deserve forgiveness, what is necessary for yourself and others to heal, and to better understand the complexity of where generational trauma and abuse starts and ends. It’s heavily a character driven book, with little plot outside of that, but certainly an impactful read, but not an easy or enjoyable read, personally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Sexual violence
bites_of_books's review against another edition
So many characters with a lot of horrible things happening to them, it just didn't work for me anymore.
keyari's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Audiobook: 5✨(Jeremy Michael Durm, Keyonni James, Chanté McCormick, Lisa Renee Pitts, & Kacie Rogers)
lilyenglish8's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jjhende's review
Couldn’t really get into it. Difficult to know the characters as it jumped from one generation and family to another.
qjuarez's review against another edition
3.0
Perish, although sympathetic to many of the characters it’s is a heavy book filled with four generations of trauma. It is dark and most of the characters live in the dark. It is a lesson learned on family secrets that never get address . The truth hurts but lies kill.