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virgcole398's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I listened to it on audiobook. All the narrators did an amazing job!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Bullying, Classism, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Body shaming
annamary54's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.5
This book is fantastic, I will definitely be recommending to everyone. Each characters struggle to just survive in the face of gentrification, and how their stories crossover is so captivating. These characters had so much perspective, it felt like I knew them. The chapter “Lite Feet” especially got to me, I was not expecting that. (iykyk) My other favorites were “Ms. Dallas,” “Camaraderie,” and “Federation for the Like-minded.” This book also captures the english language in a way that is rarely used in literature. Some of the best writing I’ve encountered on my current reading kick. I will say I struggled to get into the book since it’s not very plot driven (and I like a plot heavy book), but once I understood the flow of it I really enjoyed it. Especially once I reached “Ms. Dallas,” I couldn’t put it down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Bullying, and Classism
Moderate: Fatphobia and Child death
Minor: Violence
sydapel's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Like any collection of stories, some of these I liked more than others, but what I found really compelling is how effectively these fictional accounts show the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to low-income/subsidized housing in America. In particular, how easy it is for the system to work against you or how one expense or incident can have catastrophic effects on a basic need. The audiobook cast in this is also excellent, it's almost like listening to a podcast series it feels so immersive and personal.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Racism, Bullying, and Sexism
grapie_deltaco's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
This collection is an interesting one.
We receive glimpses into the lives of various tenants in a single apartment building in New York. All struggling to make ends meet. All aimless trying to make things work. All deeply flawed and stuck.
I think the beauty of the writing in this book, though, comes from Fofana’s decision to write each story phonetically on top of the deeply and jarringly distinct voices that vary from story to story. The words flow so naturally it reads like a transcript of events rather than a fictional story.
And the story <i>lite feet</i> simply broke me.
There’s a deeply uncomfortable chapter featuring a tenant with disgusting treatment toward a Chinese man who owns a local restaurant that I’m split on. Although it’s a raw look into an ignorant mind, the story would function the exact same without the use of dated and offensive terminology.
CW: sexual harassment, brief reference to child molestation and murder, addiction and heavy implications/mentions of substance abuse, brief reference to stalking and pedophilia, racism (including dated & offensive terms referring to Chinese and Roma people), brief use of ableist slur, brief reference to domestic abuse, child death, death of loved ones, grief
We receive glimpses into the lives of various tenants in a single apartment building in New York. All struggling to make ends meet. All aimless trying to make things work. All deeply flawed and stuck.
I think the beauty of the writing in this book, though, comes from Fofana’s decision to write each story phonetically on top of the deeply and jarringly distinct voices that vary from story to story. The words flow so naturally it reads like a transcript of events rather than a fictional story.
And the story <i>lite feet</i> simply broke me.
There’s a deeply uncomfortable chapter featuring a tenant with disgusting treatment toward a Chinese man who owns a local restaurant that I’m split on. Although it’s a raw look into an ignorant mind, the story would function the exact same without the use of dated and offensive terminology.
CW: sexual harassment, brief reference to child molestation and murder, addiction and heavy implications/mentions of substance abuse, brief reference to stalking and pedophilia, racism (including dated & offensive terms referring to Chinese and Roma people), brief use of ableist slur, brief reference to domestic abuse, child death, death of loved ones, grief
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Grief, Child death, Sexual harassment, and Drug abuse
Minor: Sexual assault, Addiction, Violence, and Murder
cheyrohm's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Death
Minor: Grief, Violence, and Drug use
_sam_m's review against another edition
dark
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, Drug use, Death, and Child death
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