Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

18 reviews

mattyvreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Just a perfect novel. This was my second time reading through, and it was just as powerful as the first read. 

Zora Neale Hurston’s words are pure poetry. The story is a beautiful and complex character study, above all else. I would not change a thing. Who would?

Scholars agree that it is one of the finest books ever written, but since I am not a scholar, I’ll simply say that it is one of the best books I’ve ever read.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Gun violence, Slavery, and Sexism

Moderate: Animal death, Terminal illness, and Mental illness

sketchydelusion's review

adventurous challenging sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Misogyny

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Grief

Minor: Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, and Gun violence

bringmybooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

Another classic read - via audio - in 2023 and I'm so glad it was Their Eyes Were Watching God!

✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷

The audio of this novel is absolutely stunning and I cannot recommend it highly enough - Ruby Dee does a phenomenal job narrating Janie's voice and story and I was swept up in the novel from pretty much the first chapter.

I loved the exploration of race, family, and community in the post slavery American South, and had a lot to think about upon finishing this book. I appreciated the vernacular that was used throughout, but definitely think I would have struggled with this had I not been listening to the audio. 

Janie's story was heartbreaking but also so beautiful and full of hope. I both loved and hated how things turned out at the end, and can absolutely see why this novel and Zora Neale Hurston's writing has stood the test of time.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Classism, Gaslighting, Sexism, Racism, Slavery, Animal death, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Death, Racial slurs, and Terminal illness

allisonbrooke's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Medical content, Sexism, Terminal illness, Death, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Grief, Racism, Cursing, and Racial slurs

ethan735's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death

Moderate: Terminal illness

Minor: Slavery and Rape

darren_cormier's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Terminal illness

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Classism, and Gun violence

Minor: Physical abuse, Slavery, and Racism

taviarz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

Loved this book. I think it made me feel every emotion possible while still adding complex issues and narratives 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexism, Death, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Rape and Animal death

thewoodlandbookshelf's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Gun violence, Death, Terminal illness, and Misogyny

seawarrior's review against another edition

4.0

This was a wise, lyrical novel written in both straightforward prose and dialect-rich dialogue. The characters in this novel have a variety of strengths, weaknesses, and ways of living in a world that is often merciless to them. One thing that struck me is how much humor is in this novel, laughing with each other cements friendships between the men Janie knows, and represents an alteration in her sense of freedom once she's able to similarly engage with them and tell her own humourous stories. Throughout the novel Janie lives marriages that revolve around work and duty, wealth and prestige, and finally, taking pleasure in life and the people you're with. None of these marriages are perfect, and none fully define Janie. Yet her last marriage gives her what she was searching for as a girl, a love that leads her to blossom and truly feel appreciation for the world she lives in. This was an engaging, devastating novel that deserves its place as a legend in literary canon. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Death, Racial slurs, and Classism

Moderate: Slavery and Alcohol

Minor: Sexual content

sarasreading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

The writing, especially in the beginning and the end, is stunning. The plot is quite slow in the middle. I would have much preferred reading about how she became friends with Phoebe, instead of hearing endless stories from the men on the porch, but that's just my personal preference. Glad I finally read this one! 

P.s. Why yes, I AM flying through books atm. One busy day has put me in bed for the weekend (yay fatigue), so what better to do than read all day long? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Gun violence, and Death

Moderate: Classism, Domestic abuse, and Animal death

Minor: Slavery