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dahlialover's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Harrowing tale of two men and their lives spent during the early settlement of the United States. A bloody story about the slaughter of American Indians and then the civil war but softened by the caring, contemplative nature of the main character Thomas McNulty and his love for John Cole. Desperately sad in places. Provides what I imagine is a real outlook on how miserable and difficult their lives were then. Not necessarily a joy to read but Sebastian Barry’s writing is exceptional
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, and War
ombiopaik's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-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? No
5.0
Incredible lgbtq+ story in history, no bury your gays here. Fantastic, gripping story and gave me a closer look at American history and the racism and atrocities first hand.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
Moderate: Genocide and Colonisation
Minor: Sexual violence
jinkx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
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
5.0
I have never read a book quite like this one. For starters, it is entirely out of my wheelhouse (I am more keen on fantasy genres). The style of the writing has such a specific character voice that shortly after starting, I decided to read along with the audiobook to be able to better appreciate the rhythm and flow of the narration. (This was also my first foray into audiobooks, and I enjoyed the narrator's voice.)
It took longer than it usually would for me to finish this book, but I loved it from beginning to the end. The author uses his ability to craft evocative descriptions for both good and evil. At times they are beautiful, and at times they are awful (...or gross—he does not shy away from gross details at times).
Parts of this book were very hard for me to read, particularly some points nearer to the end. But still, I loved reading the relationship between Thomas McNulty and John Cole all throughout, from how they first struck a friendship, to how they became family to one another and also to Winona. Eventually, I am sure I will read the sequel, which focuses more on Winona.
It took longer than it usually would for me to finish this book, but I loved it from beginning to the end. The author uses his ability to craft evocative descriptions for both good and evil. At times they are beautiful, and at times they are awful (...or gross—he does not shy away from gross details at times).
Parts of this book were very hard for me to read, particularly some points nearer to the end. But still, I loved reading the relationship between Thomas McNulty and John Cole all throughout, from how they first struck a friendship, to how they became family to one another and also to Winona. Eventually, I am sure I will read the sequel, which focuses more on Winona.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Violence, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Racial slurs
himalayahigh's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Violence, Murder, and War
lolatarantula's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I cant talk about this book for a myriad of reasons because it's a good fucking book in the same way Blood Meridian is a good book. Like, it's an amazing book but I don't think many people would enjoy this book. Anyway, look up the warnings before you read this. It isn't for everyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
shearfeather's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Violence, and Colonisation
marxxx's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.75
most of this book left me sitting with a weird discomfort—the narrator and his partner are both complicit in a lot of really heinous things, and violence against Black and Indigenous people abounds. but I found it informative, and found the discomfort to be something worth examining, and the end of the book made me cry.
The writing style takes some getting used but it adds something very unique and personal to the book.
The writing style takes some getting used but it adds something very unique and personal to the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
sanfordc11's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Violence, and Colonisation
bee1009's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Colonisation, and War
macaronis_telegraph's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Format of the book is frustrating - While Barry does succeed at crafting a distinct voice for his main character, it also for some reason meant that every paragraph was multiple pages long, creating a constant wall of text on every page, allowing for an uninviting read.
Author also fails to address in any light the horrendous parts of the past he writes about. He writes in detail his characters partaking in the repeated slaughter of Native Americans both before and after the civil war, but because the characters partaking in the murder are gay and rescue one little girl, everything is okay right? I think not.
Author also fails to address in any light the horrendous parts of the past he writes about. He writes in detail his characters partaking in the repeated slaughter of Native Americans both before and after the civil war, but because the characters partaking in the murder are gay and rescue one little girl, everything is okay right? I think not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Racism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and War