Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Small Island by Andrea Levy

15 reviews

howtogobeijing's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Racial slurs, and Racism

beckyalbon's review against another edition

challenging funny informative fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, and War

sophtanda's review against another edition

emotional sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, War, Sexism, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Colonisation, Grief, Death, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Sexual content

bumble_abi's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

I started out a little frustrated with the structure - I wanted us to stay in 1948! - but once I'd figured out the novel's puzzle-piece he-said-she-said structure I started to enjoy the Before passages much more.

The multiple perspectives really help to nail home the novel's key themes about the utterly ludicrous nature of racist British attitudes, particularly against the historical backdrop. I really loved that all our narrators are flawed in some way or another - all equally human, with weaknesses that overlap in really resonant ways (the way Hortense and Bernard both jump to conclusions, how Queenie and Hortense both consider themselves a little above those they grew up with, how Gilbert and Bernard both naively cling to hopes of heroism and harebrained schemes for riches, how Queenie and Hortense and Gilbert all get married for primary reasons that aren't love). There's a wonderful subtlety to Levy's characterisation, and her characters are so believable.

I don't think the novel necessarily needed the

Michael's-the-father plot twist.

It felt a little forced and a slightly outlandish coincidence. I thought the broader plot and the book's ending would have been equally impactful if

the father was just someone Queenie met during the war who had nothing to do with Hortense

. It brought me out of the story a little, which is a shame - but nonetheless, a contemporary classic, and (Oprah voice) YOU should read it and YOU should read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and War

Moderate: Violence, Police brutality, Sexual content, Colonisation, Infidelity, and Gore

Minor: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Child death, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts

nyne's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, War, and Xenophobia

catrickbateman's review against another edition

4.0

this was such a refreshing & solid book. the british education system rarely, if at all, mentions black soldiers, jamaican migration to england or black women’s roles in the war and it was good to hear about it through this story so intricately and informatively (without becoming non-fiction or fact centred). a really simple but enthralling read with great storytelling and an emotional full-circle ending that i really loved. i liked this a lot!!  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and War

pia_h's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Death of parent, Genocide, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Violence

Minor: Blood and Grief

hot_water's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny informative sad tense 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Violence, Sexual content, and Death

Minor: Excrement and Cancer

nialiversuch's review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and War

Minor: Abortion

pran's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Small Island follows a Jamaican couple and a British couple in the final years and just following the end of the second World War. The colourful writing and brilliant characterisation made it a pleasure to read. I found it to be a wonderful depiction of Jamaica and I learned a lot about the struggles faced by the Windrush generation. I think this is essential reading for anyone in the UK today, as learning about this history can teach us a lot about the present too. At the end of the book is a Winston Churchill quote: "Never has so much been owed by so many to so few." This quote takes on a whole new meaning in the context of the hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers who fought for Britain in the war effort.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: War