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yruss972's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, Police brutality, Grief, and Pregnancy
Kept expecting more but it never came.rachelmerrie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
ash_valkyreader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Genre: post-apocalyptic, grim, afrofuturism, sci-fi
First time or Reread: First time
Finished or DNF: finished
Spice: đźš«
Steam: đźš«
Representation: black main character, disability (in a way)
Triggers: drugs, murder, rape (child included), death of children, canablism, sickness, brutalization, parental abuse, torture, animal harm, home fire, homelessness, suicide. Note: discriptions varied in intensity. No rate was in explicit detail. Deaths were. There are several passages I skipped over.
Review:
This book was absolutely a brutal look at humanity. It is dark post-apocalyptic fiction that provides commentary on climate change and social inequality. It was pitched to me as “it’s kind of like if Handmaidens tale was written by Maya Angelou but darker” which is one hell of a pitch. And I can see where they are coming from on all accounts. I will never forget this book. The book is written in a journal format and told well with prose that stick with you.
Plot:
Lauren starts off this book as a young girl navigating a California that is falling apart. She lives in a walled community that keeps out the desperate street poor and crazed cultist. By comparison her life is tranquil. Her father is a professor and preacher and community leader. They survive on community strength and his good sense. They are able to scrape by on farming and the little money they bring. The climate has left them with little water and much disaster. Slowly things fall apart. Those outside the wall are getting in the wall. Lauren is smart and keen so she begins to devise a plan to survive. She means to survive. Along the way she develops Earthseed. Her religion and her way of making sense of the world, surviving it, and maintaining her humanity. Eventually all her preparations are put to the test and she must make her way some place safer - better.
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Animal death and Suicide
gmortg3's review
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
thehawksflight's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
For those familiar with the Handmaid's Tale, this title carries similar heft and pathos, and a similarly dystopian America. What makes this read distinct is the voice of the protagonist, Lauren. The framed narrative/diary style is a bit clunky and occasionally Lauren is very long winded, betraying brevity for over-explanation.
A product of the now-called Afrofuturism genre, this is nonetheless important reading even if you can't make it through to the end.
Though society has collapsed, poverty is rampant and extreme looting is the norm, Lauren embarks on a theological quest to re-invent herself in a new religion of her own making, and through the process of proselytising, change the world. She is a hyper-empath: able to feel the physical pain of other living beings, and has a strong desire to form communities wherever she goes, though finds great strain in her personal relationships.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Dysphoria
Minor: Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
tipsyspacedragon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
drinaiscold's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, and Medical trauma
virginwhocantdrive22'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? No
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury