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beanew's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
The motifs throughout the book were well explored and neatly wrapped up, and I wish I had could write an essay on the ways Gyasi chose to resolve certain elements (the stone necklaces!!!). I found so many of the characters deeply compelling and empathetic, so wildly different from each other. Gyasi never shies away from the brutality of the slave trade, it feels very painfully realistic in ways that Americans are never truly shown in history class.
My criticisms are that I felt the very final chapter was not as moving as I expected it to be simply because Marcus is the least fleshed-out character (in my opinion) of the whole book, so to end with him felt weak. I loved the character of Marjorie, but I found that the similarities to Gyasi’s own life experiences took me out of the story many times; instead of being immersed, I found myself wondering which pieces of that chapter were autobiographical or wish fulfillment of the author. Also a pattern of minor fat phobia happened frequently enough that it simply can’t be the character’s perspectives, it’s just Gyasi’s opinion. Beautiful people are “thick”, dumb/mean/loud/gluttonous people are “fat”. Felt weird, but didn’t majorly detract from the story!
Overall, the concept was so beautifully executed and the book was so moving and heartbreaking in equal measures. I would highly recommend it!
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Police brutality, Confinement, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Slavery
Moderate: Child death and Colonisation
Minor: Fatphobia
laurenmaria422's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Slavery, Police brutality, Infidelity, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Rape, Racism, Kidnapping, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, and Death
sangsmiles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Colonisation, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Rape
Moderate: Addiction
kissmelicia's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexism, Slavery, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and Rape
Moderate: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Animal death, Violence, and Religious bigotry
madelinedalton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Colonisation, Racism, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Drug abuse
Minor: Death and Addiction
spicycronereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
By telling the story of sisters whose paths diverge and their subsequent generations, the author paints a vivid portrait of how the violence of the trans-Atlantic slave trade continues to haunt the descendants of those enslaved and those left behind to deal with the legacies of British Imperialism. Each chapter follows a different line of descent from Effia and Esi, the aforementioned sisters. As a result you don’t get complex development of any one character but you do see the development of generational trauma, family healing, and love.
There are a couple of moderately graphic SA scenes told in third person. These are not gratuitous, nor are they done in some kind misguided way in which “historical accuracy” is used as an excuse to deploy SA as a prop for character development. The scenes align with the violence of the slave trade and you cannot tell this story without acknowledging the many forms of reproductive violence, including SA.
Overall this is a beautiful and devastating read.
Graphic: Addiction, Pregnancy, Rape, Racism, Slavery, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
taunusleserin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
...schon allein wegen der stilistischen Idee, das Leben von 14 Personen in zwei parallelen Erzählsträngen über 7 Generationen hinweg zu erzählen.
Das Buch besteht entsprechend aus 14 mehr oder minder abgeschlossenen Essays, die von Effia und Esi - zwei Halbschwestern, die sich nie kennengelernt haben - und ihren jeweiligen Nachkommen erzählen. Esi wird als Sklavin von Ghana in die USA verschleppt, Effia und ihre Nachkommen leben in Ghana.
Die ersten drei Kapitel hatte ich noch Mühe, reinzufinden, danach hat es mich gepackt und ich wollte unbedingt wissen, wie es weiter geht. Die Autorin befasst sich vor allem mit der Frage, ob sich Traumata in der DNA eines Menschen wiederfinden. Die Kapitel empfand ich teilweise eher zu kurz, da ich gerne mehr über die jeweilige Person erfahren hätte.
Wie man sich vorstellen kann, sind die Inhalte harte Kost, das Ende bildet dafür einen einigermaßen versöhnlichen Abschluss.
Definitiv ein Jahreshighlight für mich.
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, and Slavery
bootsmom3'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Misogyny, Racism, Slavery, Colonisation, Confinement, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Child death, Death, Drug use, Kidnapping, and Ableism
Moderate: Sexual violence and War
beezinda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was crafted and really showcases the author's narrative skill. There's a lot to relate back, forth, across, and between characters. I don't have the words to explain that this is so much more than a slave book.
This book resonates deeply for me as it is a shining example of how the strength and soul of black people is the unrelenting spirit to be fully human despite all the circumstances and systems that constantly seek to deprive us our humanity.
This book showcases the full range of human emotions and experiences. I hate that I find it refreshing and revelatory to see such range with black nuanced characters. It really is so good.
Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Slavery, Colonisation, Death, Rape, Child death, and Racism
arayo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Excrement, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Religious bigotry, Rape, Trafficking, War, Confinement, Drug use, Genocide, Sexual assault, Slavery, Racism, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Violence, Police brutality, Mental illness, Death of parent, Infertility, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Chronic illness