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amjone12's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
4.0
I really liked the themes in this book but sometimes they were a bit too obviously stated. Also the dialogue was unrealistic which annoyed me a little bit
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Racism
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Peach Seed is a multigenerational family story, steeped in its Southern setting. The plot includes three main interwoven contemporary threads - addiction, adoption and reconnecting with a lost love, plus two main historical threads - one centering on the Civil Rights movement and the brutal police response; the other goes back to 1800s Senegal, the slave trade and the origins of the family tradition involving monkeys carved from peach seeds. There’s plenty of complicated family drama. At times it felt a little too long but overall I enjoyed the reading experience. And bonus points for the rich, fully realised depiction of older characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and Police brutality
k_shimer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Slavery
Minor: Death and Racism
tfpjr492's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This novel presents a multi-generational family in the present time plus some episodes of ancestral struggles with slavery. There are many themes. The major themes are family troubles with drug addiction, alcoholism, and lost romance. When the layers of these problems are peeled away, the common factor seems to be the self-isolation of a family member. The strength and resilience of the whole family pull the individuals through their difficulties.
Young man Bo D has a young daughter, whom he loves dearly. The daughter’s mother has pushed him to give up drugs, which have become a daily habit. His self-isolation leads to a disappearance over several months. Can the family find him before he self-destructs?
Altovise and Fletcher were students participating in local civil rights protests, while their romance bloomed. Everything changed when a non-violent protest was violently disrupted by the authorities. Altovise spent 30 days in a crowded, dirty jail. When she gains her freedom, she decides to end the romance and move out of Georgia. After 50 years of self-isolation, she returns to the old neighborhood. Can the family help Altovise and Fletcher rekindle their romance?
Any author of a family tale has the challenge of developing complex family dynamics without boring the reader with mundane events. This author keeps the story moving by weaving together numerous characters and plot lines. The book is recommended for those readers, who enjoy expansive family dramas.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Alcohol
Minor: Racism and Slavery
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