Reviews with content warning for Violence - Native Son

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Native Son by Richard Wright

25 reviews

loverofwisdomandmen's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

4.25

Bro. I still need to do my deep dive for ap literature about this but UGH this was a PAGE TURNER. Richard Wright had me on the edge of my seat- asking my study hall teacher whether or not human bones would burn in a furnace 😭 . Just a very good piece of literature although I can’t disagree with the feminist criticisms of how one dimensional some of the women were depicted compared to the men- but that’s a whole nother can of worms- this is a gem of realist societal criticism .

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all1thegr8's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

4.0

Thoroughly enjoyed, think everyone should read. Interesting existential themes & commentary on American society. So much going on, will carry this book with me for awhile.

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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

4.5

Native Son is the story of Bigger Thomas, a twenty year old Black man, who over the course of this novel commits two murder and rape. It’s a very confronting read. Wright’s genius lies in showing how systemic racism, instances both large and small but ever present, shamed Thomas, infuriated him, frustrated him, made him fearful and contributed to his actions. His anger and rage practically jumped off the page. Wright made it possible to empathise with this character, to feel sympathy towards him, while still abhorring his horrific actions. Bigger Thomas is a character that has stayed with me long after I’ve finished reading the book. More than eighty years later prisons are filled with men just like Bigger Thomas. Society has yet to adequately address and remedy our complicity in putting them there.

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lidia7's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

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hleary's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

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michaelion's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative tense slow-paced

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

1.75

Dear StoryGraph, I implore you, please add a trigger tag specifically for misogynoir, because it's disgusting how much of it is in this book.

The choice to open the book with Bigger killing a rat, then terrorizing his sister to the point where she faints and he laughs about it is mild foreshadowing of what's to come. Also, unrelated to the opening scene, there's something poetic about everything black men fear about being caught doing with a white woman, they do to Black women. Justice4Bessie!

If you're planning on reading this, brace yourself. In my edition, there was an excerpt where Wright tells the readers of a book club that the first draft of this book was 576 pages. Which actually makes me like this book less, because it could've easily been 200 pages shorter and been a tighter, sharper, better story. It was a drag to get through reading. In the third section of the book alone, one character monologues for 23 pages with no breaks. After a certain point you simply have to start skimming. But, I promise, you're not missing much.

I gave this rating an extra .25 for Jan and Max. It sucks that the characters I like most were the not-like-the-others whites!

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directorpurry's review against another edition

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emotional reflective 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

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allym's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.0

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hoppingpages's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense

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

3.5

The protagonist set my head on fire.

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moonandmadness's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense fast-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

3.75

If Wright had decided to write a thriller, I'm sure I would've collapsed while reading it. The writing is plain but with a rushing quality that sweeps you up, making it easy to read despite the subject matter. The empathy that this novel manages to curate even with how unlikeable the main character can be is impressive - and is clearly communicated. There are some shades of subtlety, however I'd generally class it as an unpolished novel, doing a good job of putting across its viewpoint, but without fully refining itself as a piece of art. Overall, a good novel.

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