sadie_g's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Drug abuse, Death, and Drug use
Minor: Child death and Domestic abuse
solenodon'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
3.75
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Murder, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Body horror, Blood, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Grief, Confinement, and Child death
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Death of parent, Sexism, Racism, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse
unboxedjack'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? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Death, Addiction, Blood, Animal death, Child death, Drug abuse, Gore, Drug use, and Violence
nannahnannah's review against another edition
4.5
Representation:
- the main character, her family, and her lover is black
- there is a romani side character
- many other secondary & side characters are black & diverse as well (LGBT; other ethnicities mentioned in passing)
Now that the government and the wealthy have abandoned Toronto and barricaded the poor and less privileged inside, the inner city has become home to old-world farming, trade, and religion. It’s also home to body harvesting, with so many street kids running around ready for the picking. When one wealthy politician from the suburbs outside needs a heart transplant, Ti-Jeanne and her grandmother become involved with the city’s posse and its schemes. Soon, they’ll have no one else to turn to except for the gods and rituals Ti-Jeanne has been trying to avoid her entire life.
So, again, this is the type of book I’ve been LONGING for for YEARS. A mature book with an in-depth world respectfully dealing with religion and gods interacting with the characters. Nalo Hopkinson has been on my to-read list for forever, and I’m so glad this novel was sent to me because it made me read it now. This is the kind of god-respecting mythology book we’ve all been needing! Finally, something that respects the religion it borrows from instead of taking whatever you please and turning gods into caricatures of themselves for your own use. Especially a religion that is still in use today, such as this book’s “vodun”, practiced by about 30 million people in West Africa.
While it took me a good while to warm up to Ti-Jeanne, the protagonist (because she was particularly resentful, coarse, and looked down upon others), I especially loved her character arc. I eventually did warm up to her as the book went on and felt very protective of her. In fact, everyone’s characterization is wonderful and well-developed. Some don’t get the ending I expected -- while others get the ones I secretly hoped they would. The book takes you through one hell of a family drama and into some dark waters while it’s at it. But for such a short book, it feels like it packs a huge plot, great world building, and some profound character arcs while not constantly moving at breakneck speed.
There’s not much I don’t like, to be honest (except Ti-Jeanne’s lover, Tony, but as I mentioned before: everyone had their arcs and their roles to play). This is exactly the book I needed at exactly the right moment. I’m so grateful to my friend for letting me borrow it.
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Domestic abuse and Racial slurs
also: transmisogynistic violencemenomica's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Grief, and Gore
Moderate: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Murder, and Torture
Minor: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Gun violence, Grief, Excrement, and Child death
mothdan'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
4.75
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Torture, and Body horror
Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, and Sexual content
Spoiler
forced drug use and a POV character has to witness someone being skinned alivemfiegel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, and Drug use
Moderate: Domestic abuse
bookishcori'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
Graphic: Drug use and Blood