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paigereitz's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, Racism, Violence, Slavery, Trafficking, and Xenophobia
otterlyreading's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? It's complicated
4.25
African Town is a story about the middle passage when the Africans of Dahomey were sold by their king to the Americans. It tells the story from multiples view points, even the ship, Clotilda which was a nice addition.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Violence and Rape
library_kb's review
challenging
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? It's complicated
3.75
This is not a book you enjoy, per say, because the story it tells is such an example of injustice. However, it is so well told. I would have thought so many point of views would have been hard to keep track of, but I found it very easy to keep track of which character I was reading at any given point--each character was written with a distinct style to their character. This is a story of injustice and slavery, but it is also a story of endurance and hope in the way this group of African people defied the barriers in their way to create a community of hope in a world which said they shouldn't have that. An important story that I think is well suited for whole group study in middle school and up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Colonisation, Violence, and Slavery
Minor: Sexual assault
rhaselpaq's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Rape, Racism, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Excrement, Trafficking, Murder, War, Child death, and Pregnancy
misty_muskrat's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, Child death, Racism, Trafficking, Colonisation, Racial slurs, and Slavery
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Xenophobia
Minor: Excrement
kgourd's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
I listened to the audiobook, which I don't recommend. Too many perspectives to keep up with, despite the authors note in the back saying they left some people out of this narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Slavery, and War
Minor: Rape and Murder
libscote's review
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This is a powerful story about the last slave ship to America (the Clotilda) which was also an illegal ship. The reason I listed that it was complicated earlier is because it covers both the slaves and the lives of the people that brought them over. I didn't love the people who brought them over, but I loved learning about the slaves and how they managed to carve out a life for themselves. Some have said it is hard to keep track of everyone, but I didn't find it so. They all felt like distinct voices to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Racism, Slavery, and Racial slurs
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A historical fiction novel in verse, this book is about the last group of enslaved Africans to be brought to the United States. I listened to the audiobook, which I actually would recommend because they use different narrators for all of the different characters and I think it really adds to the storytelling aspect of the book.
I also highly recommend reading/listening to all of the information at the end in the author's note, because it gives a little persective as to why they chose to write this story. And then, take a look at this <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4284710801?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1">review</a> that talks about the fact that one of the authors is white. Just some important things to think about while reading this story.
Overall, I think the writing is easy to read and makes the story more accessible to those that might not otherwise know much about this particular moment in history. Definitely an important read.
I also highly recommend reading/listening to all of the information at the end in the author's note, because it gives a little persective as to why they chose to write this story. And then, take a look at this <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4284710801?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1">review</a> that talks about the fact that one of the authors is white. Just some important things to think about while reading this story.
Overall, I think the writing is easy to read and makes the story more accessible to those that might not otherwise know much about this particular moment in history. Definitely an important read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, and Racism
Moderate: Grief, Child death, and Pregnancy
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