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wordlawsl's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
llcoffj's review against another edition
5.0
A great read! The author doesn't shy away from presenting the harsh truths of life for the characters, and presents it in a way that is easy for children to understand. It isn't a fun book, but it's well-written, engaging and important.
whatsslilareading's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
4.0
adelevarley's review against another edition
2.0
I have read this book three times, but it doesn't get better. The message is powerful, but this book is so depressing, I found it hard to get through. I also thought the story was confusing and I didn't really like the main character's voice. For me, this book gave me the same reaction as The Glass Castle [Sorry, the link thing wasn't working].
estherfilbrun's review against another edition
5.0
I remember Mom reading this story aloud when I was a youngster. It was gripping, well-written, and made me aware of racism in a way I’d had little experience with before. Since becoming an adult, I’ve wanted to read it again—to see if my initial impressions of the book were accurate. And oh, they were!
This is a portrait of a loving family working together to bring justice and hope to their community, despite the injustice and fear surrounding them. As an adult, I picked up on things I doubt I would have noticed when I was younger—things like the cohesiveness of the family portrayed here (that’s often lacking in stories these days!), the way the parents loved their children and actively tried to protect them, their courage in the face of insurmountable odds, the way the night raiders’ deeds were described just enough that you knew that they were evil and a little of what they were capable of, but it wasn’t “in your face” or nearly as much on-page as it could have been…all things I greatly appreciated. These characters aren’t perfect—several times, different ones take matters into their own hands as they battle injustice. But overall, they were brave and loyal, and the family worked together to do what they could to bring justice and freedom to those around them.
I loved this book just as much as (or maybe even more than!) the first time I read it. It’s a stunning portrait of human nature, the battles many people have fought over the years, the resilience of the human spirit, and the hope that one day, wrongs will be righted and good will prevail. This is a landmark in American literature, and if you haven’t read it before, you ought to take the time to read it now. It’s a good book!
This is a portrait of a loving family working together to bring justice and hope to their community, despite the injustice and fear surrounding them. As an adult, I picked up on things I doubt I would have noticed when I was younger—things like the cohesiveness of the family portrayed here (that’s often lacking in stories these days!), the way the parents loved their children and actively tried to protect them, their courage in the face of insurmountable odds, the way the night raiders’ deeds were described just enough that you knew that they were evil and a little of what they were capable of, but it wasn’t “in your face” or nearly as much on-page as it could have been…all things I greatly appreciated. These characters aren’t perfect—several times, different ones take matters into their own hands as they battle injustice. But overall, they were brave and loyal, and the family worked together to do what they could to bring justice and freedom to those around them.
I loved this book just as much as (or maybe even more than!) the first time I read it. It’s a stunning portrait of human nature, the battles many people have fought over the years, the resilience of the human spirit, and the hope that one day, wrongs will be righted and good will prevail. This is a landmark in American literature, and if you haven’t read it before, you ought to take the time to read it now. It’s a good book!
autumnatic93's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent. Well written and very touching. I had to read it for English and it was really good. It gives a good insight to the past.
wardo2700's review against another edition
5.0
This is a powerful story that was timely to read during the current emphasis on racial equality. I found some of the book is hard to deal with because of the blatant and harsh treatment the Logan family and other community members suffered at the hands of the racist white folks. I had to keep reminding myself that it is a work of fiction but it is so close to the reality of those times during the Great Depression and sadly still to this day. I would highly recommend this book to all readers with reservations for young readers under 12.
peachani's review
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Slavery, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and War
lillicnna's review against another edition
5.0
! NO SPOILERS !
absolutely love the book. so powerful with a plot twist. very sad ending. :(
absolutely love the book. so powerful with a plot twist. very sad ending. :(
devontrevarrowflaherty's review against another edition
4.0
One of the reasons I hadn’t ever read this book before (besides the thousands of other books I want to read) is the title. Another reason was the cover. It just didn’t make me want to pick it up (and it turns out, the copy I have is also not very representative). As for the title, to some it may sound poetic or deep. To me it sounds like it’s trying too hard. And after reading it, I can confirm that it’s too high falutin’. It doesn’t really fit the book. There is also a newer cover with art by Kadir Nelson (pictured here in the review), and that is much better. In fact, it’s beautiful. Get that one if you can. But once you get past that…
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was written by Mildred Taylor as part of a six-book series. Even though it is number four in the series, it is usually read as a stand-alone and frequently as assigned reading for children in elementary school. Published in 1977, It takes place in Mississippi in the 1930s, and while it is during the Depression, there are other issues besides financial struggles that take center stage and have earned it a Newbery Medal. The story is told from the perspective of Cassie but tells the story of her family’s farm, including the life and times of her parents, uncle, and three brothers. Cassie learns why her father fights so hard to protect their farm and insists on their independence while racism and social injustice ravage around them, threatening their happiness, stability, and even their very lives.
As an African American in the Jim Crow South, Cassie doesn’t understand the nuances and how dangerous her behavior and her speaking out is, which is where much of the tension in the novel comes from. Her parents, meanwhile, are raising her with dignity while also aiming to protect her (and some readers find their behavior inconsistent, while for me it read as flawed and realistic). The story is a coming-of-age for both Cassie’s older brother, Stacey, and Cassie. It is a great history read, dealing with black history and the Jim Crow era, yes, but also with the 1930s, the South, and small town America. It’s also a story about family and about relationships. About growing up. And has plenty of beauty along with the heart-breaking injustice. It makes for a good introduction for children to the concept of the between-slavery-and-freedom, to the gray in the space between enslaving people and giving them their freedom on paper. Though I wonder if kids will find it less terrifying for exactly the reason Cassie kept walking into danger: they don’t see the unspoken yet. They may need to be taught this book while reading it.
The number one complaint by other reviewers is that it vilifies white people and puts black people on a pedestal, since the characters tend to be shiny-good or evil-bad and they fall pretty much along race lines. It wasn’t something that jumped out at me, though I could see how this could be a complaint. I mean, no one in the book seems perfect to me, and if Cassie sees her family in a golden light that would be normal for a child. As far as all those white villains, well some black people just didn’t have many positive encounters with white people. And Taylor gives us two nuanced white people, anyways. As far as actual story goes, there may be some issues with the narrator’s perspective, with sudden lurches in the story, and with plotting and ending. But overall, we get to step into Cassie’s shoes and watch her grow up in the haze of obliqueness which is childhood, constantly worried about how she’ll fare because we do care about her.
In a nutshell: Roll of Thunder is an award-winning children’s classic about land and unequal treatment, about family and the Jim Crow South. The development is deeply internal and Cassie is a strong and betimes naïve narrator, causing the reader to experience a lot of suspense.
____________________
THE HELPOther books to read about the subject matter:
The Help, Kathryn Stockett (I have read it, but before I was reviewing here.)
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 2To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
There is also a 1978 movie with Morgan Freeman in it, which you can catch on YouTube. It doesn’t look like it’s that great, but perhaps one of you could let me know what you think.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was written by Mildred Taylor as part of a six-book series. Even though it is number four in the series, it is usually read as a stand-alone and frequently as assigned reading for children in elementary school. Published in 1977, It takes place in Mississippi in the 1930s, and while it is during the Depression, there are other issues besides financial struggles that take center stage and have earned it a Newbery Medal. The story is told from the perspective of Cassie but tells the story of her family’s farm, including the life and times of her parents, uncle, and three brothers. Cassie learns why her father fights so hard to protect their farm and insists on their independence while racism and social injustice ravage around them, threatening their happiness, stability, and even their very lives.
As an African American in the Jim Crow South, Cassie doesn’t understand the nuances and how dangerous her behavior and her speaking out is, which is where much of the tension in the novel comes from. Her parents, meanwhile, are raising her with dignity while also aiming to protect her (and some readers find their behavior inconsistent, while for me it read as flawed and realistic). The story is a coming-of-age for both Cassie’s older brother, Stacey, and Cassie. It is a great history read, dealing with black history and the Jim Crow era, yes, but also with the 1930s, the South, and small town America. It’s also a story about family and about relationships. About growing up. And has plenty of beauty along with the heart-breaking injustice. It makes for a good introduction for children to the concept of the between-slavery-and-freedom, to the gray in the space between enslaving people and giving them their freedom on paper. Though I wonder if kids will find it less terrifying for exactly the reason Cassie kept walking into danger: they don’t see the unspoken yet. They may need to be taught this book while reading it.
The number one complaint by other reviewers is that it vilifies white people and puts black people on a pedestal, since the characters tend to be shiny-good or evil-bad and they fall pretty much along race lines. It wasn’t something that jumped out at me, though I could see how this could be a complaint. I mean, no one in the book seems perfect to me, and if Cassie sees her family in a golden light that would be normal for a child. As far as all those white villains, well some black people just didn’t have many positive encounters with white people. And Taylor gives us two nuanced white people, anyways. As far as actual story goes, there may be some issues with the narrator’s perspective, with sudden lurches in the story, and with plotting and ending. But overall, we get to step into Cassie’s shoes and watch her grow up in the haze of obliqueness which is childhood, constantly worried about how she’ll fare because we do care about her.
In a nutshell: Roll of Thunder is an award-winning children’s classic about land and unequal treatment, about family and the Jim Crow South. The development is deeply internal and Cassie is a strong and betimes naïve narrator, causing the reader to experience a lot of suspense.
____________________
THE HELPOther books to read about the subject matter:
The Help, Kathryn Stockett (I have read it, but before I was reviewing here.)
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 2To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
There is also a 1978 movie with Morgan Freeman in it, which you can catch on YouTube. It doesn’t look like it’s that great, but perhaps one of you could let me know what you think.