Scan barcode
kayjchan95's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, and Child abuse
smkelly1997's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- 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
I was continuously drawn in throughout this book. It was hard to but down, heartbreaking, and yet an amazing read. I loved the intertwining and parallels between Ruby and Eleanor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexism, Classism, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Grief, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, and Infertility
njhokie14's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I found this book to be very slow and I almost abandoned it more than halfway through. The very end surprised me and got the rating up by a star or so.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Rape, and Child abuse
Moderate: Infertility
kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
β¨οΈ The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson β¨οΈ
Ms. Johnson, excuse me, I think you dropped this ... π
I absolutely loved Yellow Wife and The House of Eve was no different. Sadeqa Johnson is π― an auto-buy author for me!
In the 1950s, we meet two main characters. Ruby, a 15-year-old in Philadelphia, striving for a full-ride scholarship to college and the first in her family to attend, and Eleanor in DC, who marries into an elite wealthy Black family who doesn't let just anyone in. Eventually, these two characters' stories come together in an unexpected way.
I loved both POVs and could not stop reading! If I had to take a break, I was thinking about when I could get back to reading it again. There are so many layers to these stories, these characters. You know when you receive a gift, and it's wrapped so nicely, and you open it, and it's another box to unwrap, and inside that box is another box, and another box, until you get to the final box with the gift? Reading The House of Eve is like that, except each unwrapping is another gift itself.
(Also, hi, it's me, I wrap gifts like that sometimes to trick the recipient π)
The characters were complete, whole characters with flaws. Many harboring secrets, many with unresolved trauma, and all fighting a battle of their own. The writing was excellent, raw, and beautiful. This book is unafraid to explore heavy, taboo topics and dark pasts that we choose to ignore.
This book will stay with me. I will be thinking about it for a long time.
πππππ
β οΈCWs: sexual assault of a child, classism, racism, alcoholism, infertility & miscarriage, pregnancy. Check StoryGraph for others mentioned.
Ms. Johnson, excuse me, I think you dropped this ... π
I absolutely loved Yellow Wife and The House of Eve was no different. Sadeqa Johnson is π― an auto-buy author for me!
In the 1950s, we meet two main characters. Ruby, a 15-year-old in Philadelphia, striving for a full-ride scholarship to college and the first in her family to attend, and Eleanor in DC, who marries into an elite wealthy Black family who doesn't let just anyone in. Eventually, these two characters' stories come together in an unexpected way.
I loved both POVs and could not stop reading! If I had to take a break, I was thinking about when I could get back to reading it again. There are so many layers to these stories, these characters. You know when you receive a gift, and it's wrapped so nicely, and you open it, and it's another box to unwrap, and inside that box is another box, and another box, until you get to the final box with the gift? Reading The House of Eve is like that, except each unwrapping is another gift itself.
(Also, hi, it's me, I wrap gifts like that sometimes to trick the recipient π)
The characters were complete, whole characters with flaws. Many harboring secrets, many with unresolved trauma, and all fighting a battle of their own. The writing was excellent, raw, and beautiful. This book is unafraid to explore heavy, taboo topics and dark pasts that we choose to ignore.
This book will stay with me. I will be thinking about it for a long time.
πππππ
β οΈCWs: sexual assault of a child, classism, racism, alcoholism, infertility & miscarriage, pregnancy. Check StoryGraph for others mentioned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexism, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Body shaming, and Infertility
catalie07's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? No
5.0
An excellent read!! I love the authorβs writing style. Two stories following two women with completely different upbringings and experiences, face a similar life event that eventually connects them beautifully. Based in the 1950s.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Racism, Classism, and Miscarriage
Moderate: Child abuse and Infertility
Minor: Cursing and Rape
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Abortion, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Antisemitism, Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Medical content, Miscarriage, Racism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Pedophilia and Rape
happily_undignified's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson is a gripping historical fiction that shows The challenges and triumphs of two black women in the 1940s. The story is full of history and relevant events but also has a ton of heart and soul that makes it feel personal. Both of the main characters are beautifully written with rich personalities and show an amazing amount of growth throughout the tale. Ruby was my favorite character because she was so persistent in chasing her dreams and I loved her motivation for becoming an ophthalmologist. Her artistic nature made her way of working at the world beautiful, even when it was heartbreaking. I was utterly appalled at her treatment in the middle of the story and it's even worse to realize that that was a common occurrence in the 1940s. Eleanor was an amazing character as well and it was great to see her friendships and personality mature throughout her life. The House of Eve was easy to get drawn into and reading it felt like catching up with an old friend. Sadeqa Johnson Is a talented storyteller who makes you really think about the characters of the world that they live in. The way that she wove personal history, US history, and fiction together to create a tale that is challenging and inspiring is nothing short of magic. I loved the way the two women's stories intersected towards the end and the last little surprise twist was Perfect. I'm excited to read Yellow Wife and more by this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Pregnancy, and Racism
bakingbookworm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
After the success of her book Yellow Wife, Sadeqa Johnson is back with another riveting and emotional read. Inspired by the author's own family experiences, she weaves an interesting story that incorporates the lives of two Black women in 1950's Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
Ruby and Eleanor come from different backgrounds and social classes, yet both have similar struggles. They are each in relationships that society doesn't approve of, and they struggle with the lack of agency they hold over their own bodies - a power that remains at the mercy of government, society and religion. Through these two characters, Johnson includes important themes and issues of race, class, education, reproductive rights, prejudice, and the role of the Catholic Church's homes for unwed mothers.
It took me a bit to get invested in the characters, but once their stories firmed up, I was pulled into the lives, struggles, loss and hope of these two women. There is some predictability to the plot, but I liked how Johnson incorporated many important topics. My only issues with the book were that Ruby and Eleanor's lives don't connect until very late in the story and that the long-held rift between Eleanor and another character was rectified too quickly and easily to be wholly satisfying. I encourage readers to be on the lookout for the brief but wonderful connection between characters from Yellow Wife within this story.
We have come a long way with respect to women's reproductive rights - but I fear we have a long way to go since some topics in this book remain issues that today's women continue to face. This is a well-researched and compassionately told story that successfully balances history and emotion within its pages. The issues it raises makes it great fodder for book club discussion and the perfect pick for fans of Heather Marshall's Looking For Jane.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for my advanced copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Child abuse, and Infertility
More...