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chwinters's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
most of this rating is b/c i read the last story, my monticello, over a pretty long stretch of time— so it felt like it dragged, when really, it didn’t.
don’t stretch the novella story out over almost a month like i did.
other than that, this book is really good, and you should definitely pick it up. it starts off with a bang, and just keeps going.
don’t stretch the novella story out over almost a month like i did.
other than that, this book is really good, and you should definitely pick it up. it starts off with a bang, and just keeps going.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Police brutality and Gun violence
purplepenning's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Bullying, Gun violence, Racism, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Slavery, Kidnapping, Vomit, and Car accident
meganelise's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
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
5.0
Maybe not light reading, but still so so good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
jennifer_vars's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
4.5
"The seas are rising, whatever you believe. Soon we will all be wet together, and together we will gasp for air"
Tomorrow will mark five years since the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville. Fitting to finish this book at that anniversary as it attempts to tell a dystopian tale of what might have happened if that rally would have been more successful.
My Monticello is a collection of five short stories and one novella. I highly recommend the audio version of this. Each story is read by a different narrator and they do an amazing job bringing the stories to life. Also, really hard to believe this is a debut novel.
The novella actually comes at the end, after the other short stories. It's set in the near future and is about a young UVA college student descended from Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings that is driven from her neighborhood by a white militia that has taken over the city. She and others make it to Jefferson's home at Monticello and the story is how they try to survive the unraveling of society.
Overall, 4.5 stars because it was such a great audiobook. I thought two of the short stories and the novella were really thought provoking but the others were kind of hard to get into.
Tomorrow will mark five years since the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville. Fitting to finish this book at that anniversary as it attempts to tell a dystopian tale of what might have happened if that rally would have been more successful.
My Monticello is a collection of five short stories and one novella. I highly recommend the audio version of this. Each story is read by a different narrator and they do an amazing job bringing the stories to life. Also, really hard to believe this is a debut novel.
The novella actually comes at the end, after the other short stories. It's set in the near future and is about a young UVA college student descended from Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings that is driven from her neighborhood by a white militia that has taken over the city. She and others make it to Jefferson's home at Monticello and the story is how they try to survive the unraveling of society.
Overall, 4.5 stars because it was such a great audiobook. I thought two of the short stories and the novella were really thought provoking but the others were kind of hard to get into.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, and War
amberlfaris's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Pregnancy
lpeterson's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality
infinitezest's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-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? No
4.0
The book is worth a read for the titular story alone, which is novella-sized and is a richly imagined modern version of The Parable of the Sower minus the religion. The rest of the stories were hit or miss for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, and Hate crime
lipsmovetheysay's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
so, so good. the kind of speculative fiction i love to read. only complaint is that the titular story took up about half of the length of this short story collection, and i would’ve liked a couple more longer length stories to round this out. still, it’s an incredible debut.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
hkburke2's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
3.5
Gorgeous writing and the audiobook was well narrated. I think this is one it's better to know about going into it. The pacing was a little tough for my current mindset (a few short stories and a longer reflective novella) but the writing is gorgeous and the themes are thought provoking and big.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My Monticello is a powerful dystopian novella (no short stories in my edition - no idea what happened to them but I feel robbed, and I was seriously questioning my sanity and reading ability until I realised the problem was the book and not me) where race is front and centre. It’s set in Charlottesville, Virginia in a near future beset by climate change, social unrest and the rise of white supremicism. When the violence of white supremists gets too close to home Da’Naisha just manages to escape with her grandmother and a small group of friends and neighbours. They end up in Monticello, a complicated place for Da’Naisha who is a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. She’s a wonderful protagonist, realistically flawed but someone who strives to do her best, and so you want the best for her. The story offers up plenty of uncomfortable parallels between then and now and a searing critique of the impact of race, past, present and future. Just wish I’d been able to read the short stories as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Violence