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vexbatch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, and Slavery
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Excrement, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
Minor: War
grubbs500's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
mirandalikesbooks'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
5.0
It is awe inspiring and heart breaking how many generations were and still are affected by slavery. How slavery has direct ties to the oppression and cyclical struggles of black people in America and in Africa. White oppression has killed generations of black joy.
This story demonstrates the struggle of being a woman so brilliantly too. How many generations of woman went undefined until a man defined her.
I learned so much through the course of this book. The birth of our modern prison industrial complex being born of the enslavement of African and Black men is something that makes perfect sense. But it was laid out so clearly here. Some of the violence was so vividly painted that I keep retracing those scenes in my mind. Some of the heartbreak too.
Absolute must read. We have been privileged to not know these stories for long enough. And we are privileged now to see these stories through the perspective of each of these characters.
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and War
Minor: Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicide, and Police brutality
marietimus'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
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, and Rape
beanew'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
4.25
The motifs throughout the book were well explored and neatly wrapped up, and I wish I had could write an essay on the ways Gyasi chose to resolve certain elements (the stone necklaces!!!). I found so many of the characters deeply compelling and empathetic, so wildly different from each other. Gyasi never shies away from the brutality of the slave trade, it feels very painfully realistic in ways that Americans are never truly shown in history class.
My criticisms are that I felt the very final chapter was not as moving as I expected it to be simply because Marcus is the least fleshed-out character (in my opinion) of the whole book, so to end with him felt weak. I loved the character of Marjorie, but I found that the similarities to Gyasi’s own life experiences took me out of the story many times; instead of being immersed, I found myself wondering which pieces of that chapter were autobiographical or wish fulfillment of the author. Also a pattern of minor fat phobia happened frequently enough that it simply can’t be the character’s perspectives, it’s just Gyasi’s opinion. Beautiful people are “thick”, dumb/mean/loud/gluttonous people are “fat”. Felt weird, but didn’t majorly detract from the story!
Overall, the concept was so beautifully executed and the book was so moving and heartbreaking in equal measures. I would highly recommend it!
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Racism, Slavery, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child death and Colonisation
Minor: Fatphobia
greenan26'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Confinement and Excrement
bootsmom3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual violence and War
beezinda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was crafted and really showcases the author's narrative skill. There's a lot to relate back, forth, across, and between characters. I don't have the words to explain that this is so much more than a slave book.
This book resonates deeply for me as it is a shining example of how the strength and soul of black people is the unrelenting spirit to be fully human despite all the circumstances and systems that constantly seek to deprive us our humanity.
This book showcases the full range of human emotions and experiences. I hate that I find it refreshing and revelatory to see such range with black nuanced characters. It really is so good.
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
isabelgb's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Classism
thefall's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Trafficking, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism