Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Assembly by Natasha Brown

56 reviews

sorcha's review against another edition

reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Death, Racial slurs, Slavery, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Alcohol

arbramirez's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

flowingleaves's review

challenging emotional reflective fast-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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Colonisation, and Classism

jenmcreads's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-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

5.0

This is one of my favorite reads of the year. For how short this one is, it manages to pack in a lot of worthwhile meditations on race and gender and class and the fallout of colonialism. The writing style is unique but accessible. I would highly encourage just about anyone to read this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Colonisation

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

brown's assembly is so effective in achieving its goals that it's akin to a manifesto, a subdued rallying cry of exasperation, exhaustion, rage, and detached numbness of those who are black and british. 

there's not a whole lot of plot here, merely different contexts and scenes from the narrator's life that eventually come together to form a finished puzzle and allow the reader to understand the reasoning behind her ultimate choice.

the novel's very reflective and introspective, and straddles the border of being almost preachy at times, but somehow it works: one couldnt possibly understand the narrator's current circumstances w/o being aware of the larger historical and political forces that precede her, shaping britain and its ppl into what they are - and how they act towards her and those like her - today. 

i have to say brown does a stellar job of depicting what it's like to be a black british woman, even one on the ascent. i felt claustrophobic, exasperated, constantly judged simply reading abt the narrator's daily experience. the lie of being taught to always strive and be better so things can get better, but in reality it's never enough no matter what one does, white ppl will always deem minorities as outsiders granted unfair advantages. no wonder the narrator's seemingly bone-deep exhausted; the clownery rly never ends.

while the narrative can feel disjointed at times bc of the frequent, abrupt changes in setting, assembly is nevertheless an impactful book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Minor: Death and Medical content

notellawilliams's review

challenging dark reflective tense fast-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

such a fascinating and political book, about race, love, abuse, power, class, and success. completely obsessed with it, though found the book got a little too prescriptive and plain towards the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Cancer and Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual assault

rebeccajost's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Racial slurs and Classism

leawithabook's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Racial slurs, and Sexual harassment

nosophiesallowed's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

4.0

this book was practically poetry in the way it read. i felt at times unable to fully grasp the concepts due to how purposefully vague the writing was, but i’d love to slowly reread it sections at a time and really unpack all the complex notions that are within each line.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Classism

arj's review

emotional reflective tense medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Sexual harassment