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mysteryspouse'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
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Ableism, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Body horror, Sexism, Violence, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Confinement, Rape, Colonisation, Death, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Cursing, Sexual violence, Medical content, Racism, Xenophobia, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Grief, Excrement, Mental illness, Police brutality, Death of parent, Vomit, and Alcohol
Minor: Infertility and Slavery
ljtademy3's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Medical trauma, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Antisemitism, Classism, Death of parent, Ableism, Excrement, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Grief
Minor: Infertility
jillaay_h'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual violence, Ableism, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Medical content, Antisemitism, Classism, Death, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, and Violence
abicaro17's review against another edition
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Grief, Racism, Sexual assault, Death, Bullying, Fatphobia, Violence, Ableism, Body shaming, Confinement, Antisemitism, Chronic illness, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Blood, Racial slurs, Body horror, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
pbruce593'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? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Ableism, Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Violence, Classism, Antisemitism, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Death, Murder, Terminal illness, Racism, Racial slurs, and Pedophilia
lyndsay_bibliophile's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
What sets this book apart is its patient, layered, non-linear approach to character development. McBride does a glorious job of weaving individual tales into a larger community story in a way that was deeply satisfying.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, and Racism
Moderate: Death, Excrement, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization
omarickman'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
3.5
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Racial slurs
Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Ableism, Blood, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Excrement, Classism, and Death
Minor: Vomit, Rape, Infertility, Murder, and Pedophilia
kimveach'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Antisemitism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Vomit, Alcohol, Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Murder, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Racial slurs, and Sexual violence
booknerd_therapist'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
5.0
Admittedly, it was off to a slow start. I had a tough time getting into it, because the author meticulously goes into every character's back story. But without that, there is no story. So it's necessary, and if you want to experience the full beauty of this book, you need to truly understand the characters.
This book isn't just about being black. It's not just about being Jewish. It's not just about racism and antisemitism and surviving those things. It's not just about the horrific abuse disabled children experienced a century ago. Those things are omnipresent.... but they are a backdrop. They are a backdrop for the real story: Friendship, love, resilience, family, hope.
If you are hoping for a plot-driven story, this is not it. This is unapologetically character driven.
Graphic: Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Racism, Antisemitism, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Sexual violence, Grief, Confinement, and Sexual assault
Minor: Child death, Excrement, and Cursing
purplepenning'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
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Violence, Chronic illness, Grief, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Classism, Mental illness, Excrement, Confinement, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Death of parent, and Infertility