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janeycanuck's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
An impressive debut that deeply examines race, class & motherhood with strong character development. Ruth's story - and her family's story - is compelling and moving and beautifully written. This one will sit with me for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
ktdakotareads's review against another edition
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Racism
Minor: Drug abuse
rachaelreads1989's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.5
This book was incredible. It had a lot of character growth and development. Ruth and Midnight are two narrators that are both on a journey of figuring out how they fit in to the world in relation to the family and identity. While one is a successful adult black woman and the other is a poor eleven year old white boy, their stories really mirror each other in very subtle but profound ways. I thought that was cleverly done. Highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Police brutality
bookdragon217's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
"One thing I learned a long time ago is that you can't live your life looking back."
Thank you @williammorrowbooks for the gifted copy.
Bookdragon rating 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I finished The Kindest Lie a few days ago and I can't stop thinking about it because there is so much to unpack. This novel was a perfect blend of rich character and plot development. It starts out very slow but so many layers and back story are added on that the wait is worth it. By the time the story reached its peak, it was so tense I was literally holding my breath. The writing style is so beautiful and poetic that you are captivated from the very first sentence. It was an emotional roller coaster but I'm glad I went for the ride. Ruth and Midnight played tug of war with my heart the entire time.
This book is a window into a segment of the country that isn't always in the spotlight. Your own perspective will be tested with the different dilemmas each character is facing and the decisions they choose to make. Each one is essentially in survival mode trying to maintain secrets and lies but the truth always comes out at the worst times.
I was left pondering:
- What defines motherhood? How do you begin to mother in the future when the choices about your own body were taken away?
- How can you live an authentic life while holding on to so much pain and keeping secrets?
- How do you fill the void of feeling unwanted by your parents?
- Does lying for the greater good ever pan out?
- How could Ruth's family and Lena's family never address the very real racial barriers/ bias in their friendship?
- How will Midnight deal with his brewing racial tensions?
- Does marraige automatically require full disclosure of past trauma?
- How does society return the innocence of youth back to Black children?
- How do groups with similar struggles of varying degrees come to a place of open communication and move past the biases?
- Class and education cannot save you from the violence of racism.
My mind is still spinning with so many thoughts. This book is timely, necessary and beautifully written. I cannot wait to see else the author has in store for us because this debut packed a punch.
Thank you @williammorrowbooks for the gifted copy.
Bookdragon rating 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I finished The Kindest Lie a few days ago and I can't stop thinking about it because there is so much to unpack. This novel was a perfect blend of rich character and plot development. It starts out very slow but so many layers and back story are added on that the wait is worth it. By the time the story reached its peak, it was so tense I was literally holding my breath. The writing style is so beautiful and poetic that you are captivated from the very first sentence. It was an emotional roller coaster but I'm glad I went for the ride. Ruth and Midnight played tug of war with my heart the entire time.
This book is a window into a segment of the country that isn't always in the spotlight. Your own perspective will be tested with the different dilemmas each character is facing and the decisions they choose to make. Each one is essentially in survival mode trying to maintain secrets and lies but the truth always comes out at the worst times.
I was left pondering:
- What defines motherhood? How do you begin to mother in the future when the choices about your own body were taken away?
- How can you live an authentic life while holding on to so much pain and keeping secrets?
- How do you fill the void of feeling unwanted by your parents?
- Does lying for the greater good ever pan out?
- How could Ruth's family and Lena's family never address the very real racial barriers/ bias in their friendship?
- How will Midnight deal with his brewing racial tensions?
- Does marraige automatically require full disclosure of past trauma?
- How does society return the innocence of youth back to Black children?
- How do groups with similar struggles of varying degrees come to a place of open communication and move past the biases?
- Class and education cannot save you from the violence of racism.
My mind is still spinning with so many thoughts. This book is timely, necessary and beautifully written. I cannot wait to see else the author has in store for us because this debut packed a punch.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Torture, and Police brutality
lklitup's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
WOWOWOW. The Kindest Lie is an emotional, evocative, insightful novel. Read this book!
This book centered wholly around family. What, or who, makes a family? What expectations are set simply because of familial ties? What duties are to be upheld? When does the individual self give way to the familial whole? Is there a breaking point amongst family? Should there be?
Lena and Midnight’s stories— individually and as a whole— warmed my heart, broke it, and put it back together again.
The Kindest Lie handled racism and classism in both big topic discussions, with outright acknowledgments, and everyday nuance. The themes were intertwined, layered, fully realized... This novel truly does it all.
I had two main gripes, one writing-wise and one more personally based. First, I felt the storyline about Stanley DeAngelo was unnecessary. The way the community of Ganton was described, built upon, and shown to the reader, I would’ve very easily believed that the families and church handled their business amongst themselves. I’ll leave it at that to prevent spoilers.
Second, the personal note, I was aggravated whenever Ruth said “my son.” I thought it took too long for someone to put Ruth to her paces about how she could imagine sort of claim to the title “my son.” Ruth’s actions at the riverbank belied this very idea of motherhood. Her motives and actions were selfish; Ruth’s behavior in that scene was antithetical to all of the decisions that had been made for Ruth to get her to that point. In other words, whereas so many decisions prior to that point made for Ruth were motivated by love and her own betterment (whether she liked it or not), Ruth’s decision in that moment was for her own (mistaken? misguided?) absolution.
I am of the firm belief biology has no bearing on a family. Perhaps if I were a mother, I’d be empathetic to Ruth. I am not, though, and adoption holds the dearest place in my heart.
All said, I loved this book and would enthusiastically recommend!
This book centered wholly around family. What, or who, makes a family? What expectations are set simply because of familial ties? What duties are to be upheld? When does the individual self give way to the familial whole? Is there a breaking point amongst family? Should there be?
Lena and Midnight’s stories— individually and as a whole— warmed my heart, broke it, and put it back together again.
The Kindest Lie handled racism and classism in both big topic discussions, with outright acknowledgments, and everyday nuance. The themes were intertwined, layered, fully realized... This novel truly does it all.
I had two main gripes, one writing-wise and one more personally based. First, I felt the storyline about Stanley DeAngelo was unnecessary. The way the community of Ganton was described, built upon, and shown to the reader, I would’ve very easily believed that the families and church handled their business amongst themselves. I’ll leave it at that to prevent spoilers.
Second, the personal note, I was aggravated whenever Ruth said “my son.” I thought it took too long for someone to put Ruth to her paces about how she could imagine sort of claim to the title “my son.” Ruth’s actions at the riverbank belied this very idea of motherhood. Her motives and actions were selfish; Ruth’s behavior in that scene was antithetical to all of the decisions that had been made for Ruth to get her to that point. In other words, whereas so many decisions prior to that point made for Ruth were motivated by love and her own betterment (whether she liked it or not), Ruth’s decision in that moment was for her own (mistaken? misguided?) absolution.
I am of the firm belief biology has no bearing on a family. Perhaps if I were a mother, I’d be empathetic to Ruth. I am not, though, and adoption holds the dearest place in my heart.
All said, I loved this book and would enthusiastically recommend!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
alwaysatthebookshop's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Death of parent