Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

A Mercy by Toni Morrison

5 reviews

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-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

Narrative hard to follow at times as the chapters switch and it’s not always clear who’s speaking. The chapters could also be quite long which made it hard to pick up or have my attention held-especially when it was dragging in the beginning.

I had a really hard time focusing and wanting to continue reading, unlike other Morrison novels. Finally by the second half I started to enjoy it more and figure out whose voice was whose!

I was intrigued by the setting, time period, and characters. It was interesting getting the different perspectives from 4 very different women! 

I felt so sure because of the rough start, that this would only be 3/3.5 stars and my least fave Morrison but the last chapter threw me for a loop and I ended up feeling it was worth 4 stars for that chapter alone 😨

Morrison always has a way with words and even in these slim novels, she packs some powerful emotions and complicated characters with their own unique voices! I can’t wait to continue reading the rest of Morrison’s works and I’ll be a little sad when I finish 💚

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Racism, Slavery, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

Minor: Pedophilia and Rape

michaelion's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

• 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

4.25

I read this on and off over 22 days because I went on vacation but it's Toni Morrison so of course it was amazing and I didn't lose the momentum in the gaps of days between reading chapters. Many thoughts many ideas... In my notes I marked this book is a lot more grounded in reality than magical realism. What's the difference? That's a great question... And at the end the world keeps going on. Ms Morrison, I know I said it before but you've done it again.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Pedophilia, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Genocide, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

daisydoolie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.25

A beautiful book, my first time reading Morrison and  her writing style is so unique. Hard to read in parts with the content but so evocative.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

theromanticace's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Sexual assault and Violence

Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, and Torture

ella_hat's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

Minor: Body horror