Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Go as a River by Shelley Read

7 reviews

ryleee's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

This book is

'Teen Mom' set in 'Where the Crawdads Sing'

. The setting is established well and includes nice imagery of the scenery in rural Colorado, which makes it easy to imagine. The main protagonists are likeable enough, but I wish we had a bit more insight into some of the ancillary characters (Seth, their dad), to want to empathise with them through the series of unfortunate events that befall them towards the end. For example,

I wanted the dad to give us SOMETHING to say that he knew about the baby, and still loved Victoria, and acknowledge his failings as a father since the mum died. But alas, even on his deathbed the man was stoic.

It feels like four stories mashed together, supposedly linked through the impending flooding of Victoria's home town. Because of this, the pacing often lurches forward in places to get through the plot points at the expense of relationship-building between the characters. The ending is wholesome enough, but pretty far-fetched and abrupt.

If you're into internal-monologue-narration, and knowing the protagonist's feelings and experiences intimately, then you will probably enjoy this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Car accident, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Sexual content and Colonisation

emmieanna's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.75

Just as a single rainstorm can erode the banks and change the course of a river, so can a single circumstance of a girl’s life erase who she was before.

It has taken me two months to properly review this book, and honestly I still don’t know what to say. One thing I know for sure is that it is CRIMINALLY underrated. This book affected me so incredibly deeply and I honestly don’t think I will be the same.

I wish I could give Victoria a massive hug because girl was going through it and became an incredibly strong woman despite, I would love to be her friend. She quietly absorbs and reflects, really staying true to her personal values, overall gaining a lot from the life she has built for herself.

Her eventual friendship and mutual understanding of Ruby-Alice Akers was one of my favourite elements to this story, a found family of sorts, which I thought perfectly reflected the need for silent companionship in two women who were grieving in different ways.

Shelley Read balanced plot and character development really well, I loved how encompassing and varied the topics she explored in the story. It deals with heavy themes, racism towards Indigenous Peoples and gender roles being two of the most prominent, but also highlighting familial trauma and selfless sacrifices, all of which broke my heart.

I found Victoria’s relationship with her father especially interesting, there was clearly so much each wanted to say to the other but never did. I think she did not give her father enough of a chance to step up for her in a meaningful way, and I believe that if she told him about Blue, he would have adored him. Alas, I think the beauty of this story lies in the tragic missed opportunities and experiences which she sacrificed to give her son a better life.

I found it bittersweet when she sold up and left Iola, a place she so clearly had fond memories of but was also soured by the people and what her brother did to Wil. We were robbed of a beautiful love story between two people who truly understood each other. Her resourcefulness and finding a way to keep her family and their life’s work alive in relocating the peach groves was beautiful symbolism for a fresh start and the flooding of Iola really felt like we were washing away her old life with her.

I have been and forever will recommend this book, my opinion has only inflated over time and I will never stop tell people to read it. If they don’t make a film starring Margaret Qualley or Emily Carey soon I will cry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Death, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Blood, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Alcohol, War, and Classism

Minor: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

fkshg8465's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

4.75

A story that brings life to completion, and a story with so much more to be told. One that lets my imagination fill in the gaps most satisfactorily.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

katharina90's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.0

A slow, sad, reflective book with interesting themes, some of which I wish had been explored more (or differently). Some elements of the story felt rushed or underdeveloped. At times it also just dragged.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Fatphobia, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Miscarriage, Colonisation, and War

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

0.5

this was so so disappointing. the characters are incredibly one dimensional and stereotypical, the plot is incredibly unbelievable and boring, and the author used the singular Indigenous American character is barely featured and simply used to further the main characters story and then thrown away. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

alixcallender's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

I have great affection for Victoria, and I loved the slow, reflective, mournful pacing. But I do take issue with a few things: 

- Far to many peach metaphors. We get it. 
- Where is Wilson Moon’s actual personality? 
- The near-end was overly fluffy and convenient. (Without giving anything away, I will just say that I am not convinced that Victoria could have imagined *that outcome* with such accuracy, nor do I believe that two people can glean such perfect and correct meaning from a pile of rocks.)

It was very much like Where the Crawdad’s Sing, so if you liked that story you’ll probably like this one too. It’s a poolside read. I read it quickly, and enjoyed it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Infertility, Sexual content, and Car accident

raeerdna's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

heartbreaking. the cruel and sad face of reality breaking its point. i loved how real this story felt but still far away from life as today. even tho you can clearly see the mistakes from that period happening today as well, i was transported in that time and felt a soul crashing love and anger from it. cried, felt happy, relieved and angry all throughout it. never felt so familiar with a character but be almost nothing like it. that's what i loved the most about this book, it was beating like my heart is heard. oh, and all the detailed descriptions of nature and its beauty, that as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Death of parent, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Hate crime, Violence, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

Minor: Drug use, Miscarriage, Torture, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail