Reviews

The Street by Ann Petry

stb_14's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

macieslater's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

mollydycus's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

attyintx's review against another edition

3.0

Did not see that ending coming.

c_rewie6's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

manoushp109's review against another edition

4.5

only read the last two chapters for class - very well written and interesting

rachel_the_managing_editor's review against another edition

3.0

I had very mixed feelings about this one. I finished it surprisingly quickly for its size - the narrative (single mom raising her kid in Harlem in the 1940s) is easy to get into. Kind of reminded me of an African American version of Henry Roth's Call It Sleep (though I think I preferred Roth). Petry's voice is at times lyrical. But man, oh man is it heavy handed. Ultimately the antagonist ends up being poverty, but no one really gets off too easily - especially men. The forcefulness of the hatred kind of makes me wonder if something terrible happened to Petry.

I kept wondering how this thing would end, up until the last 5 pages. It very much reads in real time, and there's not really one big conflict. Everything sucks. Nothing and no one is particularly redeeming. But the end - wow! I'm not going to forget that one.

*Oh, and the summary provided on the Goodreads page is totally inaccurate, by the way.

anaphernalia's review against another edition

reflective sad

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

my heart and mind are so pleasantly torn by this ending

abrswf's review against another edition

5.0

I inhaled this remarkable book about racism and it’s effects, set in 1944 in New York City. It’s a book that begins with a bitter wind, and I could feel that relentless stinging blast driving the story. The book dances between points of view and spares no one, as the cruel gale of its momentum carries the heroine, Lutie Johnson, to a shocking finale. It’s troubling how very modern this story of racist hatred feels.

a_reflective_reader's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• 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