Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Augustown by Kei Miller

7 reviews

bessadams's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Moderate: Gun violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Blood and Police brutality

spinesinaline's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

As the author says in the intro, August Town is a real-life neighbourhood in Jamaica and while some of its real history is brought into the story, the titular neighbourhood is an intentionally fictional entity. From the first scene, you can feel the tension is this town building towards some unfortunate climax. We slowly get to know the characters as Ma Taffy reveals the spiritual and painful history of the town that has led to this moment, jumping in time and from perspective to perspective, each with a different view of the town and the trouble to come.

Along with the storytelling by Ma Taffy, there is an unseen narrator who seems to have a complete view of the town and I loved the way the author creatively uses this narrator to guide the story. It’s a heavy, sad read but one that creates such a stunning picture of this town, both real and fictional, and the people who may share these stories. This was a highlight read of the year and one I’m sure I will return to.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, and Murder

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Blood, and Excrement

chattie_the_mad_chatter's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book is a different genre to what I usually read. It felt like folklore, local history to a country and culture I know nothing about, so I appreciate being able to learn and be let in through reading this.
I enjoyed the story craft, through storytelling and weaving in and out of past and present and through different characters. There is a main plot point that holds them together, but if you enjoy a linear story or a strong connection to a protagonist this may not be for you. I felt that Augstown was our main protagonist and the different characters the layers of history and lives that make it who it is. All the individual human characters felt fully realised, but we moved fluidly through them getting segments of their lives. I am a reader that likes to fully immerse in a character, so I did not get that emotionsl connection I usually want with the characters. 
But that was not the story's purpose. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Abortion, and Classism

Minor: Sexual harassment

georgiarybanks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Gun violence, Blood, and Pregnancy

kaneebli's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, and Classism

Moderate: Suicide, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Excrement, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

cthornhill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Without doubt one of the best books I have ever read. This writing is nuanced, mind-bending, beautiful, raw and electric. It’s the sort of book that makes me want to take back all previous five star reviews because a new bar has been set. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Police brutality

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, and Excrement

Minor: Child death, Rape, and Slavery

znvisser's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Moderate: Mental illness and Excrement

Minor: Gun violence and Infidelity

Be cautious if you are sensitive to eye-related violence