Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

68 reviews

noshinbean's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Excrement, Antisemitism, Grief, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

amandalachelle's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mysteryspouse's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Medical content, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Infertility and Slavery

ljtademy3's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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

I am speechless. James McBride has once again found a way to invoke the deepest emotional experience for me as a reader. This book provides commentary on racism, sexism, ableism, meritocracy, and the violence required to sustain these systems in a narrative built around a small community of very real and dimensional characters. The characters are so humorous, strong-willed, and are given depth/background spanning generations prior that allows you to see each character for so much more than most books allow you to see the characters. There are several plots taking place in this book and none of them are without reason. Every detail in the story is meticulously placed to create a really touching story. I read Deacon King Kong last year and loved it to pieces. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store was a much more difficult read due to graphic content, but it is again not without reason that difficult topics are included in this story. James McBride has hands down become my favorite author and it is by a landslide. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Ableism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Infertility

abicaro17's review against another edition

This book is all over the place. I was over 50% of the way through the book and I still couldn't understand the plot. All the chapters were in different characters 3rd person pov and sometimes it would start in one pov and switch to another with no warning! I'm sure the end is great and super profound or whatever but I'm not reading 350 pages of nothing for the 40 pages of conclusion that makes it make sense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

lejones1785's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

This book was not an easy read in more than one way. The story line meanders and never really gets to the point. It's like listening to my grandpa tell a story that included the side stories for all the people. It takes forever and never really ends. There was a lot that could make people uncomfortable so check trigger warnings. The writing was difficult, the characters disconnected, and the story hard to follow. I almost DNF'd, now I wish I had

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

everamplify's review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, and Cultural appropriation

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense

• 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? No

4.0

I really enjoy James McBride's writing. I think this might be the fourth or fifth of his books that I've read. He has a way of taking topics of gravity and storytelling them with light and humor and poignancy. I feel like I can sleep better tonight for having read this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

lyndsay_bibliophile's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

“The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store" is a unique story, highlighting the power of community and the strength of the human spirit. Its unconventional storytelling and character building with its satisfying ending was a joy to experience. This is a book for those who appreciate slow-burning character studies, intricate narratives, and the unique beauty of a story that defies traditional structure.

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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Antisemitism

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Police brutality, Grief, and Classism

trishsmelody's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death and Grief