Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Where the Line Bleeds by Jesmyn Ward

2 reviews

laynemandros's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug use, Medical content, Alcohol, Abandonment, and Violence

serendipitysbooks's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

 Where the Line Bleeds is the story of Black twins Christophe and Joshua who are being raised in Mississippi by their grandmother since their mother has left for the bright lights of Atlanta and their father’s drug dealing has seen him imprisoned. Shortly after high school Joshua lands a job but Christophe does not and eventually resorts to selling drugs in order to gain some money which his family desperately needs. This threatens the brother’s close bond. The twin angle cleverly highlighted the importance of employment in the lives of young Black men, how it’s presence or absence could be a real turning point in their lives. This was not a bad book - far from it. I can’t imagine Jesmyn Ward writing a bad book. This was her debut novel I think her writing has strengthened over the years. Additionally this book may have had less of an impact on me because I have read her later fiction and non-fiction works, and so have already experienced her take on the themes covered in this novel. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use and Violence