Reviews

Cane River by Lalita Tademy

lediamond4's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative sad slow-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

4.0

A slow paced, multi-generational family story told over the course of just over 100 years. Lalita Tademy tells a very special story here, her family’s story. A fictionalized but very realistic version, Cane River is her family’s history. The characters, her family members, are all drawn out wonderfully, so real that it’s easy to feel as though you’re right next to them. It’s a long story, filled with racism, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and so much suffering and death. It’s not an easy read, and sometimes the pace is a little slow. It requires patience at times. But it’s really wonderful too. 

darbileigh's review against another edition

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5.0

This is the type of reading that should be required in our schools, I believe.

Here's why:
https://darbisfavoritethings.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/cane-river-by-lalita-tademy/

Definitely a 5 star read!

knoxinsocks's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative medium-paced
  • 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

3.75

Fascinating and in so many ways exasperating due to relentless (true to life) injustices.

Historical documents and details were often shoehorned into the story, but I think some clunkiness is excusable because of the educational value of the non-fiction elements.

kindlereads's review against another edition

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

3.0

It was well written and last book in the 4 AM the genre I can’t have all the sadness that it brings me anymore.

ellathelibrarian's review against another edition

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4.5

Utterly sensational.

jennyluwho's review against another edition

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3.0

Thought provoking historical fiction focused on the chilling reality of motherhood in slavery times.

craftbuzz's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

thechanelmuse's review against another edition

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5.0

Lalita Tademy brought years of intense research, covering 137 years of her family history, to life on these pages. This was such an engrossing read.

jess_mango's review against another edition

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4.0

Wow, I never knew that I read so many Oprah books. I certainly never went out of my way to read them.

Cane River is an engrossing family saga that takes place in Louisiana and spans 4 generations. It is loosely based on the author's own family. The story explores the cruelty of slavery, racial boundaries, love and family dynamics.

reikista's review against another edition

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5.0

The story of 6 generations of a Black family, from slavery times through the middle of last century, their struggles to stay together, to come to own and hold onto their land, andto build their family identity.