Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

41 reviews

nyssbomb's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Racial slurs, Racism, Addiction, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Slavery, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Bullying, Cursing, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Incest, Infertility, Child death, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Genocide, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Lesbophobia, Body shaming, and Ableism

trippalli's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad slow-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

3.0

A challenging but important read in the history of the black experience in the United States in this historic fiction. The violence in women and overt violence and abuse of humans. Numerous rapes, child sexual abuse murders, racism of course, slavery.. It's all very difficult to listen to on an audio book or read in this 600+ pages tome.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Suicide, Rape, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Colonisation, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Racism, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infertility, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Police brutality, and Slavery

dielizabeth's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book engrossed me so much I dreamt about it most nights. The characters are nuanced and their stories are, too. Yes, there is trauma, but the author's tone and style felt more like testimony than sensationalizing. Beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Sexual assault, Slavery, Addiction, Child death, Sexism, Death, Death of parent, Pedophilia, and Racism

thrillofthepage's review

emotional informative reflective 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

 Today’s #HistoricalFictionFriday is for a book that might be one of the best books I’ve ever read and will definitely be in my top books of 2022.

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by @honoree_jeffers is a generational saga that spans hundreds of years. I was intimidated by this chunk of a book, as well as the pages long family tree at the beginning. However, I’ve learned to take these books slow and steady to allow myself time to savor each page. I tackled this book in 25-30 page increments daily and recommend you do the same.

First, the writing in this novel is indescribable because it’s so many things! It’s powerful, emotional, raw, moving, compelling, and I could go on listing adjectives that would never do it justice. Jeffers weaves together centuries of history and families in such a seamless and effortless way that an 800 page book read like a short story.

Second, the characters are memorable and authentic and I find myself continuing to think of them daily. I hesitate to even call them characters because they are so real and mirror the experiences of so many. Ailey and her independent, ambitious, take no BS attitude was inspiring. I loved watching her discover herself and felt her struggles on a molecular level. Lydia was tragic and her entire arc moved me to tears multiple times. Uncle Root has my heart. This man was the common thread connecting the past and the present and the best way to describe him is as the trunk of the family tree. I loved him more than words can say and he will go down as one of my favorite characters of all time.

Lastly, the impact this story had on me was profound. I felt emotionally connected to these characters and their stories. There is a reason this book has received mountains of praise and accolades. The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois is a masterpiece, a modern classic, and everyone should read it ASAP. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Abortion, Cursing, Death of parent, Hate crime, Medical content, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Blood, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

jcargabr's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence

jackiew98's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Incest, and Slavery

Moderate: Abortion, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Child death

maryannc's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Racism, and Slavery

Moderate: Drug abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, and Sexism

Minor: Abortion, Child death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage

blondereader's review

informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.5

A long book but worth reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Pregnancy

Minor: Abortion

Not recommended for anyone triggered by reading about sexual crimes. This is a tough book, but again, worth reading.

caseythereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

 - There's no way I can cover everything THE LOVE SONGS OF W.E.B. DuBOIS encompasses in a measly Instagram caption, so the main takeaway here is that if you are up for it, this book is a must.
- Ailey and her family are both specific and universal (and in many ways, that universality is deeply tragic). At times this book feels like it could be nonfiction, until you get to a particularly stunning turn of phrase (honestly, more poets should write literary fiction, it's always incredible).
- Don't let the 800 pages deter you. LOVE SONGS is completely engulfing, intense and heartfelt. Do take the content warnings seriously though, and proceed with caution if needed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Abortion, Addiction, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Antisemitism and Homophobia

waywardtrekkie's review

challenging emotional reflective slow-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

I genuinely do not have works for this masterpiece of a book. This book will stay with me for the rest of my life. The easiest 5 star I have ever given. One of the best stories ever told. Honorée I will read literally anything you write. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Death of parent, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Murder, Racism, Sexual assault, and Slavery