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mmgroberg's review against another edition
4.0
The first half was absolutely, completely riveting. The second half drifted in too many directions and lost the thread a little bit for me.
silodear's review against another edition
4.0
While I wasn't immediately hooked by this book, I ultimately found it to be deep, rich, and important.
annabella82's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't mind this novel but I didn't really like it all that much either. I think that's why it took me as long as it did to read it.
I did like how this novel was written...from the language used all the way to the descriptions. I also liked the characters. They were all interesting and they meshed well together (my only gripe would be to see the male characters more distinguishable against each other...they were too similar).
I guess what I didn't like was how the story was structured. There were parts that just lagged and I felt indifferent to how it fit into the story being told.
I did like how this novel was written...from the language used all the way to the descriptions. I also liked the characters. They were all interesting and they meshed well together (my only gripe would be to see the male characters more distinguishable against each other...they were too similar).
I guess what I didn't like was how the story was structured. There were parts that just lagged and I felt indifferent to how it fit into the story being told.
kimhbourne's review against another edition
4.0
Second time reading as I have up the first time. Didn't like the dialect or incest theme. Glad I stuck with it this time.
jolynne's review against another edition
5.0
The story of sisters, their secrets, their mysticism, their pride, their promises and their love and loves set in the breathtaking beauty (described to me by the author)of the Virgin Islands. I appreciated the way the author intertwined racism, women’s equality, poverty, American privilege and colonialism into the story, all of which along with family determined the why’s of this story.
There were many passages I shared in other places, but for this review I will share this passage spoken by Ronalda after she learns the history of saltfish and why she will never eat it again. It is so in tune with what is and has been given by the government commodity program to the Indigenous peoples of the northern hemisphere U.S. - “The history of the salted codfish, brought from New England cheap to feed the Caribbean slaves. She would think of how Caribbean folks ignorantly sought out the slave food as a delicacy and thought nothing of it”.
There were many passages I shared in other places, but for this review I will share this passage spoken by Ronalda after she learns the history of saltfish and why she will never eat it again. It is so in tune with what is and has been given by the government commodity program to the Indigenous peoples of the northern hemisphere U.S. - “The history of the salted codfish, brought from New England cheap to feed the Caribbean slaves. She would think of how Caribbean folks ignorantly sought out the slave food as a delicacy and thought nothing of it”.
canamac's review
4.0
took me about until the halfway point to really get into it, but yanique created some truly dazzling imagery!! and the fact that it’s semi-autobiographical is also helps solidify the story
thecatwood's review against another edition
4.0
Really gorgeously written story with the most incest in a plot I have ever read. It’s challenging for incest to be so neutrally described, but I don’t think it makes it a “bad book” by any means. The pacing in the first half is much slower than the second half, so it takes a little effort to get into the story, but the characters are so fully realized that getting to know them is very enjoyable.
lisagray68's review against another edition
3.0
I got this early review copy from Library Thing's Early Reviewer program and read almost the entire book on my flights yesterday. This book really reminds me of "Till the Well Runs Dry", which I recently reviewed, although I liked that one better. This is the author's debut novel, and it's clear that she really knows how to tell a story. I loved her writing, it really captured me. I also liked reading a book about some of the history of the U.S. Virgin Islands, including some real stunning setting work on some of the islands I never even knew about. So why the three stars? Even though I really liked so much about this book, I was impatient with the story. I just kept feeling like it was one disaster after another -- pretty much everything that could go wrong did. I wanted the characters to find some kind of peace and happiness, but it seemed they were incapable. Maybe that is how life really was in those days on the islands, these women certainly did not have very many options. AND, maybe the fact that I disliked the characters was part of the author's craft. Not sure. Anyway, if you are interested in the U.S. Virgin Islands, it's culture and character, this would be a great book to read.
lulureads365's review against another edition
2.0
Well written with beautiful prose. However the characters and the actual story itself fell flat for me. I couldn’t connect with anyone or any situation. It just seemed as if there was no real substance behind the beautiful writing.
lacywolfe's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed taking my time with Yanique's clever prose. The characters and their intriguing lives were well-drawn and memorable. This is perhaps the only book I've read that took place in the Virgin Islands. And now I'm on the lookout for more.