Reviews

The Revisioners by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton

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cleches's review against another edition

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medium-paced

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

2.5

thart3's review against another edition

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4.0

Very interesting book-I enjoyed it!

mgouker's review against another edition

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5.0

A heartfelt intergenerational journey across two centuries of American history told from the perspective of two women, Ava & Josephine, whose families are victims of racism. The author uses the term "recycled racism" to describe their suffering, and it's precise. There are three narratives. Josephine is the daughter of a family in the antebellum South who are escaping slavery at Wildwood. She is also much later the matriarch of a family whose white neighbor wishes to befriend her (before she gets all kkklanish and sees Josephine as a beggar at the door). Ava, some 90 years later, also must dodge the strange demands of her white racist grandmother.

Sexton does an amazing job of tracing the parallels of the paths of these two women. The prose combines pure poetry with a coarse heartbreaking tone that is soul-crushing. The characters become your old friends. It is sometimes hard going (because you know the doom is growing every page you turn) but every turn is worth it.

bt_wannabe's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

3.5

A mix of historical fiction and contemporary fiction with some supernatural elements, this story weaves together the stories of multiple generations; highlighting the impact of both generational trauma and strength. The use of multiple POVs was an effective tool in telling this story. While I do think there are characters and storylines that could’ve been fleshed out a bit better to make this read more rich and satisfying, I also feel that some connections were intentionally not explicitly laid out in order to make the reader think and reflect. Overall, it’s definitely worth your time and will leave you thinking.

Content Warnings