Reviews tagging Slavery

Washington Black, by Esi Edugyan

38 reviews

lostinthelibrary's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense slow-paced

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

3.0

This was just okay. Strong start and it picked up a bit towards the end but a lot of it was confusing and I feel I slogged through a bit. I didn't really care for most of the characters other than Wash himself. The big emotional moments didn't really hit as hard as they should and neither did the tense moments. Everything was all a bit meh. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and Child abuse

Minor: Rape

bebidocrimes's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

You ever love someone so much you INVENT AQUARIUMS TO IMPRESS HER? It was a good read but it felt a little hard to care deeply about the characters, or maybe it's just that they were all kind of blunt straightforward people. After the narrative left Faith, I don't recall any other people of color getting very much characterization (the guides in the Arctic, any other Freemen in Nova Scotia, Titch's new assistant).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Colonisation, Cursing, Racial slurs, Blood, Grief, Violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/injury detail, Racism, Slavery, and Suicide

debbieoconnor162's review against another edition

Really struggled with the style of writing and the cruelty shown

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery

mariebrunelm's review

adventurous emotional inspiring 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? Yes

 George Washington Black's life was destined to be framed by the borders of the cane plantation in Barbados where he is enslaved. But a death and an unlikely friendship offer him an escape, and here is "Wash" carried away into the world. But can freedom be as simple as that for a Black man in the 1830s? His quest takes Washington further and further, guided by his passion for science and a talent for illustrating its marvels.

This really is a gorgeous book. It delivers some of those quiet sentences that silently break your heart, under the guise of a larger-than-life adventure. The relationship between Washington and his fellow traveler is complex and thoughtful, miles away from the white savior trope that is still too common in stories about Black people. I'd say this novel is as delicate and deep as its stunning cover.

Rep: Black MC with a disfigurement. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and Abandonment

Moderate: Violence

obviousthings's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Racism, Child death, Slavery, Violence, Racial slurs, Suicide, Blood, Injury/injury detail, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Fatphobia, and Homophobia

Minor: Pedophilia

izwit's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide attempt, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicide, Injury/injury detail, Murder, and Racism

hazelgirl21's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Racial slurs

erynelle's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Slavery, Colonisation, Death, Gore, Racism, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, and Suicide

audreylee's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-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

4.25

Whether describing the atmosphere of a Caribbean plantation, an Arctic village, or a hanging in England, Edugyan effortlessly places the reader just where she wants us. Often, just where we would not wish to be. The plot is slow moving and stifling with the weight of waiting and searching. The writing, gorgeous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Slavery

tracey1981's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective tense slow-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? It's complicated

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Slavery, Suicide, Death, and Racism