Reviews with content warning for Slavery - When the Reckoning Comes

You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen

118 reviews

isabellew27's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark informative mysterious reflective 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

Content Warnings

ska1224's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

Content Warnings

sonmarselfee's review

Go to review page

dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.25

Content Warnings

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

Context:

I borrowed When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen from my library through the Libby App.

Review:

When the Reckoning Comes is a straightforward and well-executed novel that emphasizes the horrors of American slavery and racism and the importance of confronting the past. The book’s strength lies in its ability to balance the horror and plot elements with the relationships between its characters, Mira, Jesse, and Celine. Without this grounding in the characters and the relationships, When the Reckoning Comes might have been rather generic. The complex dynamics between these childhood friends lend the story its stakes and authenticity, which blend seamlessly with the novel’s commentary on modern racism and the malicious glorification of America’s monstrous history.

I found myself engaged with the novel throughout, and I am especially impressed with McQueen’s ability to mess with the reader’s sense of time. My only qualm with the book is that it ends too soon. I would have liked another couple of chapters for the main characters to work through their experiences and their relationships with one another; as it stands, McQueen somewhat neglects the fascinating interplay between Mira, Jesse, and Celine in favor of a more traditional horror ending.

In particular, I was disappointed that Celine got killed off in service of the plot. I would have liked to have seen a final confrontation between the three as they grapple with the role race, circumstance, and outlook shaped the course of their friendship.

The Run-Down:

You will probably like When the Reckoning Comes if . . .

· You are looking for a solid horror book about race, slavery, and how history haunts the present

· You want to read a book that asks questions about how we choose to remember history, especially when it comes to Southern plantations

You might not like When the Reckoning Comes if . . .

· You are hoping for a story that takes risks with its plot and premise

· You want a book that maintains an even level of character development

· You want a smart, strong-willed protagonist

A Similar Book:

Kindred by Octavia Butler (a spectacular book and a must-read, if you haven’t already) Similarities include:

· A Black female main character who finds herself confronting the horrors of slavery on a Southern plantation

· Commentary on how America’s past infects its present

Content Warnings

carax561's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.75

Content Warnings

herelieshenry's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

this is one of the best novels I’ve read in a damn long time. people complaining that it isn’t “horror enough” baffle me; horror as a genre has always had room for discussing and showing the horrors within society and in history. I don’t know why so many reviewers seem confused that a plantation wedding horror novel is rooted in discussing the grotesque history of the plantation.

Content Warnings

mary_stormageddon's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

My only issue with this book was it was formatted in a way that made it difficult for me to read. Long walls of texts without breaks make it hard for me to concentrate and keep my eyes focused. Thankfully, the chapters are shorter, which helped.

Content Warnings

froon's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

the writing style *really* didn’t work for me. there was a particular scene on page 64 that pissed me off, where mira asks one of the bartenders her name⏤which she gives to mira despite the workers being told not to⏤and then the narration continues to call her “the girl at the bar.” imagine how much more impactful that could’ve been if the narrative gave her a name, instead of just relegating her to her job.

also so much was deeply underdeveloped. the emotions, other than the obvious horror the reader feels at the descriptions of slavery, were shallow. i didn’t believe jesse and mira really loved each other. i didn’t believe that there was any world where celine’s wedding invitation would have been accepted by either mira or jesse because i didn’t believe in their friendship.

the way the sentences and scenes moved together also felt a bit disjointed and clumsy. for example, jesse will stop walking then he will start walking again. the act of jesse stopping added nothing to the story, so i struggle to see the relevance of mentioning it. of course, this happening once or twice wouldn’t mean anything, but⏤especially towards the end of the book⏤it felt like every paragraph had an extra sentence that was immediately walked back.

and don’t get me started on

i never saw the mob/the ghosts in the first place??

silly.

Content Warnings

d0505's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective 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? No

4.5

Content Warnings

allisonfagan's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I felt like this book was very heavy but had enough mystery and twists to keep you engaged. 70% through I felt like we were running nonstop (in the best way possible). Overall this story really made me reflect on the atrocities of slavery and made me realize how even I was desensitized to it to a certain degree. It truly should never be a topic to be made light of and was probably one of the worst things to happen in human history.

Content Warnings

More...