passionyoungwrites's review
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Miscarriage and Abandonment
caseythereader's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Death of parent, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Drug use, Child death, Cursing, Death, Pregnancy, and Suicide
asiamh's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, Grief, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Death, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, and Infidelity
Moderate: Body horror, Police brutality, Torture, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
morybaby's review against another edition
2.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
musicalpopcorn's review against another edition
- 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
This book was well-written and interesting. I don’t know if the metaphors were heavy handed or they just really spoke to me, but either way I was ok with it. I love some magical realism, and this book did it quite well. I appreciated the way that the author managed to convey the abuse and almost Stockholm syndrome way the women in the Melancon family made decisions. I was drawn in by the characters and quite enjoyed the story overall.
The one thing I will say is that I understand that Harlem is a character in the story, but I found it a little much to always be given exact street locations of places. For people in Harlem, that’s probably cool, but for me, it just felt tiring to constantly be given exact streets.
Graphic: Police brutality and Miscarriage
Moderate: Child abuse
nordstina's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There are a lot of overlapping agendas in this book, and Jerkins writes in a way that has the readers both sympathize with and be aghast with their choices. It's an inventive tale, with themes of gentrification, loss, love, and greed.
Graphic: Miscarriage
sammish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Infertility, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Child abuse
fatoodles's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Miscarriage
sierranichole's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Medical content, Abandonment, Infertility, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Violence, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Body horror, Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Blood, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Police brutality
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, and Racism
Minor: Child death, Terminal illness, Vomit, Ableism, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Genocide