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vylotte's review
4.0
Read from here: https://firesidefiction.com/the-secret-lives-of-the-nine-negro-teeth-of-george-washington
blerdy_girl_readings's review
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.0
pulpmonkey66's review
5.0
I loved how Clark was able to evoke an entire world setting through the description of nine teeth.
thecaptainsquarters's review
5.0
I was expecting this story to be emotionally devastating but instead it was a fascinating intellectual exercise. I expected my heart to be shredded and instead my mind was stretched. Apparently, George Washington (our evil first president) purchased teeth from people for his false dentures. This story starts with a quote, “‘By Cash pd Negroes for 9 Teeth on Acct of Dr. Lemoire’ –Lund Washington, Mount Vernon plantation, Account Book dated 1784.” This story explores what the secret lives of the teeth were. I loved this story and it sent me down a rabbit hole about the history behind Washington’s teeth. Check out this article to see a picture of Washington’s dentures and to learn more about the history of false teeth. This was fantastic and I still think it should have won the Hugo. Arrrr!
tokyoadam's review
5.0
Another phenomenal story by P. Djèlí Clark. This one is a quick read, but quite powerful. Moving from the mundane to the fantastic and back to the mundane, it affected me much more than I would expect of a short story (a genre I typically ignore/overlook).
tiedyedude's review
4.0
A fantasy short story that examines the imagined lives of the people from whom George Washington's teeth came. A powerful, at times darkly funny, tale.
naimereadslines's review
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
5.0
dekaj's review
3.0
"For the blacksmith understood what masters had chosen to forget: when you make a man or woman a slave you enslave yourself in turn."
Thought provoking, well written and unique. Unfortunately, the format of 9 short stories crammed into a single short story felt like it was missing something. Some of the stories were quite good, while others felt a bit bland. My favorites might be the cook, the slave trader and Solomon.
Thought provoking, well written and unique. Unfortunately, the format of 9 short stories crammed into a single short story felt like it was missing something. Some of the stories were quite good, while others felt a bit bland. My favorites might be the cook, the slave trader and Solomon.