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porshea's review
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A well-written story that uses a critical lens to portray the white plantation class of the late 1700s, this novel is likely one of the only books that I would point others who would like to read fiction about this period from this perspective. While the story is inflected with POVs from enslaved Black people and the author explains why she did not make their voices prominent, I feel like this is a reason I would point people towards other works that do center these voices instead. There is also a fair amount of sexual abuse, child abuse, and traumatic murder/death in the story that makes this a read for a very specific type of person. See also, white queer relationships and a character who seems to be on the autism spectrum within the time period and all of the bigotry that comes along with the issues of this particular era.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism
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