Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

117 reviews

ekg's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Gun violence, Torture, Trafficking, and Suicide attempt

elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

The Love Songs of W. E. B. du Bois is beautifully written; it is very clear that the author, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers is a well-researched poet who expertly wields words like a weaver at a loom. The story is expansive and gorgeously constructed. It is also incredibly brutal (rightfully so, given the brutality of the topics discussed by Jeffers, and portrayed remarkably without romanticization of the extreme trauma experienced by the people of the book) and, as such, may be incredibly unpleasant to some readers.

I will likely never read this book all the way through again without taking breaks because I was deeply affected by the Jeffers’s nuanced portrayal of trauma. I hesitate to use the word triggered because it is so often weaponized by critics of books like these that deftly detail and describe the legacy of slavery in America and that discuss the intersectionality of abuse (domestic and sexual most prominently throughout this book) as well as racism and sexism. I experienced significant distress at certain parts of this book and I would recommend that all readers take the time to look through the trigger warnings and protect their mental health while reading, because I do highly recommend this book. 

I cannot really put a numerical rating on this book - its value as literature and as a historical and cultural text cannot possibly be encompassed by assigning a number of stars - so I will instead say this: Read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Homophobia and Dementia

Minor: Vomit

bookishvanessa's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Slavery

Moderate: Abortion

brynalexa's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Perfect. It’s a rare long gem that deserves to be so. I loved making small discoveries throughout the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

shrachel_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Slavery

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Incest, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Suicide

ackaleigh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

I started this book hoping to read it throughout the year. Oh, how quickly I gave up that idea when I started reading! This book spans generations. It demonstrates the curiosity we have of family history and how those stories impact us. If you enjoy literary fiction with strong elements of family and community, you will love this book. It is not without its sadness, but it is beautifully and carefully written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

ennzito24's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Words can't describe how much I love this book. This was one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read and it's something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. Theorizing was so captivating and elegant! While the book is fiction, the subject matter behind it is very much real. Honorée is truly a master storyteller and I can't wait to read more of her work. Everyone needs to read this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Colonisation

aashton93's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. I normally don’t like to read books about black
Trauma. I like to escape when I read this book was beautifully written. It had so much history and connection. It focused on real family ties and generational trauma. But also the overcoming. Highlighted the importance of storytelling and family history. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Genocide, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abortion, Death of parent, and Colonisation

readandfindout's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.5

Style/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 4.5 stars
Characters: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Abortion

bookishkellyn's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective

• 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? It's complicated

5.0

This is probably the best book I’ve ever read in my entire life. The author has a way with words and combined with her extensive research, she weaves an immersive fictional but realistic tale about a multigenerational family–mostly seen through the eyes of the main protagonist (Ailey) from childhood to adulthood. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew these characters after experiencing the highs and lows with them. I enjoyed reading every bit of this almost 800-page masterpiece.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Infidelity, Sexism, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Abortion, and Fire/Fire injury