kay_reads9's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, and Slavery
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Mental illness, Child death, and Colonisation
maggie_c_m_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Racism, Physical abuse, and Slavery
Moderate: Racial slurs, Addiction, Deportation, and Fire/Fire injury
mysterymom46's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Excrement, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Drug use, Addiction, Pregnancy, Murder, Mental illness, Suicide, and Abandonment
Minor: Bullying, Vomit, and Xenophobia
rieviolet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.75
Still, I think that this kind of narrative structure (chapters with an ever-changing point of view) is just not my personal preference. Inevitably (as it happens, for example, with short stories collections), there were certain characters' storylines that I appreciated more compared to others. In general, I found the final chapters (those closer to us in time) less engaging.
There were also sections that I liked but that ended a bit too abruptly, leaving too much left unsaid about crucial events and the characters' fate (and not all of the storylines got mentioned again and expanded upon, further on in the narration).
At times, the book got a bit too graphic for my (I admit a bit delicate) sensibilities, but it does deal with very heavy topics; just be sure to check the content warnings.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, Sexual content, Excrement, Kidnapping, Death, Drug abuse, Slavery, Racism, Colonisation, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual violence, and Torture
Moderate: War, Child abuse, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Rape, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs
Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Cannibalism, Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Ableism, Murder, Infertility, Bullying, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Child death
cardlikecredit's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, Slavery, War, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Rape, and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Classism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship
anna4m's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and Fire/Fire injury
joppiereading's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Drug use, Trafficking, Violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Racism, Rape, Colonisation, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Deportation, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, War, Abortion, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infertility, Murder, Sexual violence, and Mental illness
floorvm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Laat ik beginnen met dat dit een goed boek is. Een rijke historie van jaren aan onrecht in een zwarte stamboom.
Het is prima geschreven, het verhaal is goed te volgen maar het greep me niet, wat ik wel had verwacht. Ondanks dat het boek gaat over verschrikkelijke jaren van slavernij, misbruik en racisme, was ik niet emotioneel geïnvesteerd. Dit leest waarschijnlijk heel anders als je zelf een zwarte achtergrond hebt, maar aangezien dit voor mij niet geldt vond ik het moeilijker geboeid te blijven.
De ‘plot’ (ik weet niet of ik het zo kan noemen) was voorspelbaar vanaf de eerste bladzijde maar stoorde niet het uiteindelijke verhaal.
Ondanks dat ik meer had verwacht, is dit een boek die een mooie weergave geeft van de zwarte geschiedenis. Erg boeiend en leerzaam om een weergave te lezen over verschillende periodes hierin.
Interessant is ook dat hoe verder in de generatie ze komen hoe meer boosheid er lijkt te zijn. Alsof het onrecht doorgegeven wordt door het bloed, en elke ongelijkheid aan het misbruik doet denken.
Mooi maar mogelijk had ik te veel verwacht.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Domestic abuse, and Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs and Fire/Fire injury
issyfrp99's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Slavery and Racism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Rape, and War
eve_kadou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Slavery, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Hate crime