Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson

20 reviews

hudsononaux's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Infertility, Abandonment, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Racism, and Medical content

Moderate: Confinement, Police brutality, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

thissagreads's review

challenging reflective sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

2.75

There were times that book moved slower than I’d like, and I felt that the characters held back in moments they could’ve spoken up about, but that’s the 50’s & 60’s unfortunately. Because the book is historical fiction, there was some insight and knowledge gained about the old catholic boarding houses for pregnant girls (including the coercive tactics). I think I wanted more happy for both characters, and at the I got that nice “happy ending” plot twist, but it wasn’t enough. 

Ruby becomes the doctor she dreamed of, while Eleanor raises her baby unbeknownst to the both of them.

 
All in all, I thought the story was a fresh perspective with the 2 character perspectives.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Racism, and Child abuse

Minor: Racial slurs and Abandonment

Ruby got pregnant by a white Jewish boy who’s mom offered her a scholarship for college if Ruby cuts off communication with her son, AND must stay at a boarding house while pregnant, and then give her baby up for adoption. Mom keeps end of bargain so Ruby unknowingly gives her daughter up to Eleanor and her husband the elite William who’s well know in the black community in DC. Eleanor has already lost 3 babies -before the baby can be brought to term- and her mother-in-law suggests adoption from the boarding house to William unbeknownst to Eleanor- and William suggests it to Eleanor who says yes even though she’s riddles with guilt and shame for not being able to carry full term.

mcfeinics's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Classism, Racism, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Racial slurs, Infertility, and Sexual violence

Minor: Confinement, Vomit, Rape, Alcoholism, and Abortion

_sunnysans's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, and Police brutality

mdavis26's review against another edition

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, Racism, Suicide attempt, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Alcohol, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

drnaynay's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Classism, Rape, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Sexism, Alcohol, Infertility, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Racism

moniipeters's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Classism, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Death, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Violence, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Confinement, and Cursing

chinelo_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Alcohol, Classism, Infertility, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual assault

_theliteraturevillian_'s review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

5.0

It is very clear that Mrs.Johnson does VERY THROUGH research when writing historical fiction and are we not truly thankful for that? 

Again, I am stunned. ‘Yellow Wife’ made me a fan but ‘The House of Eve’ has made me a Stan 😩. This story was beautiful, but heartbreaking. I felt for Eleanor but Ruby, I wanted to embrace her in a way her mother couldn’t. 

This has been my best read so far this year. Can’t wait for what Mrs.Johnson has in store for us next…

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, Abortion, Abandonment, Classism, Grief, Infertility, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, and Sexual assault

bek67's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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

4.25

Second book of Sadeqa Johnson's I've read and it does not disappoint. I loved both main characters Ruby, a teenager who is smart and hopes to attend college, and Eleanor, a college student whose parents sacrificed a lot to get her there. My favorite quote from the book: "Knowing about racism and being abused by its wrath were two different things."

I also loved the fact there is a very small (but not insignificant) tie-in to characters from her book Yellow Wife. 

The author's note at the end is definitely worth the read. She describes where the fictional characters of the book came from as well as background on the real life characters. Fascinating info. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Miscarriage

Minor: Abandonment, Racial slurs, Classism, and Abortion