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chelle22's review
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
jourdanicus's review
- 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? No
3.75
Based on the summary and my past experience with the author, I figured this would be a resounding 5⭐ read for me. The going was really good, and I loved the writing style. Having multiple narrators made the audiobook so engaging (although the English narrator for Theo has an awful American accent... Lol, sorry).
But... I just... Felt that the ending was SUCH a flop. Maybe I'm spoiled on having happy endings from reading so much romance, I don't know...
Aside from the ending, I mainly have complex feelings on how the topic of race was handled in this book. There was so much detail and sensitivity, and yet... Not a lot of nuance? I know from the Afterword that Brooks really did her research for this book, including having Black early readers, which is good to do. But there were still some parts that felt a little forced. And then (back to my problems with the ending)
I wish the end hadn't soiled the rest of the book for me, because really it was an interesting, uncommon story, beautifully told. It just needed a stronger finish.
I'm off to look up nonfiction accounts of Black equestrians now!
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Minor: Racial slurs, Grief, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
chickaboogawah'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Police brutality, Trafficking, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Death, Gore, Excrement, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
mitchelldavis1997'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
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and War
mlander's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Moderate: Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery
Minor: Murder
authemmie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racial slurs, and Murder
sierracaine'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
4.5
Graphic: Slavery and Murder
Moderate: War
Minor: Sexual assault
calamitydeeds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
menglert's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I think the core of this book was quite effective at examining themes of racism in America's past and present, so it could be worth the read for that.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Police brutality, Grief, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and War
melissabristol'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? No
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism