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coryisreading's review against another edition
I had too many books checked out, I want to check it out again
nikikirch's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? No
4.75
cybrgloss's review against another edition
5.0
utterly captivating and unsettling, i read this months ago and still think about it
docturman's review against another edition
5.0
This book is not linear, which I like, because life doesn't flow from point A to B and neither do our thoughts. I loved the beautiful imagery, the characters, and how Boof explored, science, AIDS, race, self-hatred, colonialism and more. This book can be categorized as so many things: fantasy, Afro-futurism and more. It reminds me of Octavia Butler in how I can see some of what Boof talks about come to pass in our near future.
cmrnism's review against another edition
2.0
not the best writing but the message is rlly important !!!!!
sarahhbeth_reads's review against another edition
5.0
This was an incredible, enthralling, and gripping novel. Kola Boof delves passionately into the critically relevant themes of race, religion, individuality, sexuality, and gender roles. I did not want to put this book down. Short but gratifying, absolutely worth reading.
librophiliac's review against another edition
5.0
Not even 2 chapters in and already we have covered so many hot button topics in Africa... AIDS research, cloning, skin bleaching, color based kaste systems, prison accomodations, smuggling... The author has me by the throat and she is NOT letting go.
She never did. This book makes me want to be mad at myself for being born white. Confusing and tender and awful and every roller coaster of emotion.
So so good.
She never did. This book makes me want to be mad at myself for being born white. Confusing and tender and awful and every roller coaster of emotion.
So so good.
scorpstar77's review against another edition
4.0
This book fascinated me, from the very first page. The story is of a beautiful, very black woman - Eternity - born into an African country where many of the most popular and successful people believe in bleaching their skin or taking "Michael Jackson pills" to lighten their skin color. Eternity is a clone, which is the sci-fi element, but she doesn't live in a world where cloning is normal; it's portrayed as illicit and possibly illegal. She is raised by the two white scientists who cloned her. Her life's journey involves her searching for love, becoming a world-famous fashion model, and trying to reconcile her love of her country's traditions and blackness with its sexism and its own apparent self-hatred of blackness.
Eternity's story is a young woman's coming-of-age tale, but it's anything but typical. The cover makes a comparison of Boof's writing to Toni Morrison - while it's not as well-written as Morrison books, the comparison is apt. The language is lyrical and hypnotic. There are some erotic scenes in the book, but they are important to the narrative - this is not what you might call erotica. Boof masterfully weaves what I would assume to be her own feelings about women and being black and Africa and, most particularly, being a black woman in Africa into the character's story. It never feels preachy, just interesting, at times heart-breaking, and ultimately empowering.
Eternity's story is a young woman's coming-of-age tale, but it's anything but typical. The cover makes a comparison of Boof's writing to Toni Morrison - while it's not as well-written as Morrison books, the comparison is apt. The language is lyrical and hypnotic. There are some erotic scenes in the book, but they are important to the narrative - this is not what you might call erotica. Boof masterfully weaves what I would assume to be her own feelings about women and being black and Africa and, most particularly, being a black woman in Africa into the character's story. It never feels preachy, just interesting, at times heart-breaking, and ultimately empowering.
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