Reviews with content warning for Racism - The List

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The List by Yomi Adegoke

11 reviews

leli's review against another edition

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3.0

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wrenl's review against another edition

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challenging emotional 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

3.0

Ever since Me Too, there’s been a lot of books and media that analyze what I’ll call the aftermath. What happens after someone is called out, put through the wringer of cancel culture? How does it impact their family and friends? This book takes that idea a step further with Ola’s background in feminist writing. The added step further enhances this book a lot. You really get down into Ola’s mindset, and I think her side of the story is the most interesting because it deals with the warring feelings of wanting to believe the people you love but also wanting to believe victims. That part is written so well; you really feel for Ola. I like how this book doesn’t shy away from the hard decisions and complex feelings.

I wish Michael was as compelling as Ola, though. I didn’t get as attached to him, perhaps because I’m not a Black man, but I also felt like he was cagey even in his own perspective.

Also, there‘s something about British books that just makes me giggle. British slang is so much fun. Which is 100% not the point of this book, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention it.

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laura_clarinets's review against another edition

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dark sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Loved the idea of this book -- did not love the execution. It really dragged and I found myself skimming to hit plot points. I felt like it raised a lot of good questions and answered very few of them, and I was pretty disappointed by the ending. I felt like the intensity of the specific plot points in the last quarter of the book were meant to leave the reader leaning heavily towards a side of the "argument" that I did not appreciate while the opposing side was sort of an afterthought, and the final twist didn't really land with me, which is maybe because at that point I was just wondering why the book was still going...

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faith_06's review against another edition

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emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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amanda_marie's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.75

Incredibly nuanced and intersectional, I loved the author’s ability to show each side of this interaction and the way people justify their actions to themselves.

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bookdragon217's review against another edition

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emotional informative mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

"The internet never forgets, until it does."

The List by Yomi Adehoke was a quick, propulsive read that kept me turning the pages non-stop. I binge this one in a day because I was obsessed with finding out the truth. I enjoyed Adegoke's writing style and I can see why this was picked up for TV. There are so many possibilities for some of the themes to be explored more deeply on screen. The author was bold in her choices and showcased a lot of serious themes in this one. The plot twist at the very end was jaw dropping.

I do wish Ola and Michael's fame was a little more fleshed out in the beginning so that the scandal felt a little more credible. However, I do commend Adegoke for taking risks and tackling toxic masculinity, patriarchy and misogyny, abuse of women, ways in which women aren't believed when they report abuse, the dangers and consequences of fame and the internet, the responsibility of reporters, the dangers of reporting rumors, Black men's mental health, feminism and the erasure of celebrities humanity. Reading this one makes me curious to see how the show will fill in the blanks and add depth to some of these topics because there was a lot to take in.

This is one you will definitely want to read with a friend because there is so much to talk to about. When I finished it, I immediately discussed it with my husband because it opens the door for so much conversation. If thrillers with social commentary are your jam, give this one a try. You will be entertained the whole way through. Thanks to @williammorrowbooks and to @cocoachapters for the gifted copy and tour opportunity.

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janefinch's review against another edition

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challenging emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

I didn't enjoy this book. It was a horrible topic and the main characters coped with it so badly I found it hard to finish. I read it for a book club, otherwise wouldn't have continued past the first chapter.

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katcass's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective fast-paced

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

4.25

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literaryintersections's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Did I enjoy this book? I don't know. The experience was rough. The characters were hard to like. But the actual premise of the book is very interesting, especially in a post MeToo era of social media vitriol and cancellation. This book left me feeling icky which maybe that was it's goal. I would recommend it but with extreme caution because it can be hard to read.

Michael is trash. Ola is a mess. But I don't think either of them is the point. I think the point of this book is that no one is perfect. That anyone could be put on the hot seat for their choices and found guilty without any trial. That we are at the whim of social media - people behind a keyboard able to ruin lives anonymously. And that bad men can do bad things and not be pushed because that is how our society was made - it is functioning how it was always supposed to.

"Did the benefits of the internet outweigh the harm of it when the harm could be as horrendous as this?"

There was so much depth in this but I also feel like the ending didn't leave me satisfied. But idk what would've been satisfaction in this book because it is not a feel good story. It is a cautionary tale. That we never truly know the people we tie our lives to. That "boys will be boys" turns into "men will be men" which means they can hurt and harm with no consequence. And that the internet can ruin lives.

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emilyky's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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