Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

162 reviews

rachel_o_reads's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

Powerful book. I do enjoy Maya's Angelou's writing, and after loving her poetry for so long, I did enjoy this book. It is an important read, although I found some chapters to be a bit too slow paced compared to others. I think I will always prefer her poetry to her prose, but that is a personal opinion.

Content Warnings

addiekmartin's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

tammy_123's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.75

It really made me think about life in general and how easy my life is compared.

Content Warnings

caoimhe9876's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Content Warnings

veryill's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

madde's review against another edition

Go to review page

medium-paced

5.0

Content Warnings

sandysmith's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.25

I certainly want to read more of her memoir, particularly her involvement with Malcom X and Martin Luther King. However, this book is about her early life from age 6 to about 17, growing up with her brother, and they were brought up mainly by their grandma. A beautiful lyrical prose and writing style. Read as part of my banned book series it's one of my favourites I've read so far. Yes, it explores racism, rape and molestation but it's so sensitively written and in the context of her growing up. It's her memoir, after all, and testament to the strong black woman she becomes. Would I ban it? Absolutely not. Would I let my children read it? Absolutely, for it has many discussion points and such wonderful writing. The only negative thing for me is the books title, as singing caged birds are not mentioned in the text, nor is understanding why they do so. I can come to my own conclusions re the title, metaphor, or descriptive, but I wanted the title to be more reflective of the book itself rather than my lacking interpretation. That aside wonderful wonderful stuff.

Content Warnings