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alichan459's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
heremireadz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Racism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Confinement
Moderate: Alcoholism
knkoch'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? It's complicated
5.0
There are lots of mysteries in the plot, and I don't think I understood all of them, but the story didn't suffer for it. It's hard, and there's a lot of ugliness, individual and societal, exposed. But there's kindness, triumph, and joy, too. Truly everything between heaven and earth is present in these human beings, and in us, too. The world we inhabit can be both deeply broken and full of wonder at once.
Graphic: Excrement, Racism, Mental illness, Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Rape
books_brews_and_booze's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
One of the greatest storytellers of this time, in my humble opinion. I'd love to see school curriculums include his books in their lists, if they aren't already doing so.
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Grief, Antisemitism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Chronic illness
Minor: Abandonment and Excrement
meganpbell'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
3.75
Graphic: Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Racism, and Ableism
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Infertility, Death, Death of parent, and Medical content
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
akira_vcat's review against another edition
1.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, and Child abuse
Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Confinement
Minor: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings
throwback682's review against another edition
My impressions of the first 70% of the audiobook were
- that the narrator is really talented and voices many different characters distinctly and well.
- there are a ton of characters and it’s hard to keep everyone straight. There was constantly a new person entering and their backstory being told. The book was really trying to do a lot. It felt like how I tell stories when I don’t have my ADHD meds.
- but many of the characters were very compelling and I do want to know how it ends
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Alcohol, Chronic illness, and Confinement
Moderate: Pedophilia, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Sexual violence