Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Small Great Things

Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

26 reviews

lcl_reads's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative inspiring sad

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

As a Black woman living in the United States who has read several novels by Jodi Picoult, I was curious to consider how this one would be handled, particularly because of what I know of Picoult's background. I must admit, I was a little shocked when the first "nigger" was dropped, but as I read I appreciated the way Picoult confronted her subject head on and without flinching.

As I was reading, I felt a bit conflicted about rating the book. I really appreciated this part of the author's note at the end: " I was writing to my own community - white people- who can very easily point to a neo-Nazi skinhead and say he's racist... but who can't recognize racism in themselves." I think my conflicted feelings are because this book is not written for me.

This book was bold in its pursuit and the amount of research and thought Picoult put into the topic was evident to me.

Some critiques I've read of the book are that Ruth's story is not as developed and I actually appreciated that. I would have loved to have more of the respectibility politics, colorism, and relationships between Ruth, her mother, and her sister explored. I also think Picoult was smart in identifying that that was not her story to tell nor was that the point of this particular book.

I think it is important to me to remember that no book can't be everything, so, yes, this book is not everything, but it is the story I think was right for Picoult to tell to the audience she has, from her position, with the support of the research she did and for what it is, it was executed as well as it could have possibly been.

Content Warnings

notlikethebeer's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
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

2.5

I really don't know how to feel about this book! It is a book about racism written by a white woman, and that's major alarm bells from the start. However, I did appreciate the author's note at the end (which, having read some reviews, I actually read first) - that Picoult was aware that it was not her story to write, and that instead she wanted to write the story of someone like her, who might see themselves as anti-racist without acknowledging all the ways they betray this. That was a really interesting approach, although being white I don't feel that I can assess whether that's the 'right' one or not. I think that did lead me to wonder about the inclusion of Ruth's chapters - by writing them, Picoult was writing from a viewpoint that she explicitly said is not hers and that she will never truly understand; but equally, if she hadn't written them, I guess it would have been a way of erasing Ruth from a story in which she played a pivotal part. All this to say I don't know. I did really like the chapters from Kennedy's perspective, in large part because I could see myself and similar viewpoints through them; and I found the Turk chapters, particularly the early ones, interesting as an example of the ways that extremism can 'take hold' on an individual level. Equally, do Turk's chapters - and the humanising of Turk - belong in the same book that's about the harm caused to Ruth? And can it ever be okay for a white author to portray such vitrolic racism (and homophobia), even if it's in aid of not shying away from reality? I don't know. Something that did stand out, positively, was the "damned if I do, damned if I don't" that arose from the dual charges levelled at Ruth. Otherwise, there's little in this book that I really know how I feel about!

Content Warnings

cielo's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Content Warnings

caseyleigh1024's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

Content Warnings

cheaploaf's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

This book was a ride. I really appreciated the 3 different angles it was told from. It was captivating, it was hard to put down. As a white person, it’s a book that made me think and reflect a lot. I appreciate Jodi Picoult’s author’s note and how extensive the research she did for the book was. I think it’s super important as a white author to be able to use your platform to talk about issues such as race.

I’m glad that the story didn’t revolve around white saviourism and that Kennedy didn’t even win Ruth her trial, the case was just acquitted. At first it seemed crazy to me that someone like Turk could end up on the complete opposite of the spectrum but I guess there are people out there like him in the real world.

Would absolutely recommend this book to anyone.

Content Warnings

mrs_elliott19's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

5.0

I normally don’t write a hole sappy thing, but this boook!!!! I life is forever changed! I thing every needs to read this book at least once! I’m balling!!!

Content Warnings