Reviews tagging 'Violence'

America Is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan

12 reviews

marjandincharge's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

A challenging and heart-wrenching read, but well worth finishing! Carlos Bulosan's writing is poetically descriptive. I learned so much about America and myself while reading this book. Highly recommend this to any Filipino, but also to any American trying to better understand the country's history. Very Grapes of Wrath-eqsue.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

Moderate: War, Violence, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

agnesjlopez's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual assault, Grief, Hate crime, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Sexism, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, and Kidnapping

Moderate: War

ayumi_can_read's review

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? No

3.75

Heartbreaking yet inspiring, I’m not the biggest fan of older american literary styles but this book is one that will stay with me for the rest of my life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Death of parent, War, Alcohol, Colonisation, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Racial slurs, Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Child abuse, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

abraveowl's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

Reading this book was the first time I felt some sense of pride in America and myself as an American. This book showed me that America is not a nation. It is an unfinished poem that each American attempts to finish in the course of the living of their lives. Most heroes are not remembered, just as most poets are not. I was happy to remember Carlos Bulosan and keep him alive as I read his memoir, America is the Heart. As a precious piece of America, this book now lives in my heart as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Racial slurs, and Racism

jayasilog's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.25

i now understand the historical significance of this book lol reading 4 years after i should have read it - i’ll continue to be digesting and trying to deeper understand bulosan’s writing bc the political line in this book is so raw and vivid specifically for filipinos in california - pls talk to me about this book guys

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War, Racism, Violence, Medical content, Hate crime, Classism, and Alcoholism

vemilla's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-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

3.25

Even though this was a book I had to read for a literature class, I was excited to read something by a Filipino author. My overall of this though is a bit disappointing. While there are many moments of pause that make you think about what Bulosan was trying to say about the struggles of immigrants, there were times where I felt he didn't mean what he said (in terms of his faith in America). There was a lot of back and forth in terms of his feelings toward America, like he couldn't make up his mind, which ultimately left an ending that felt open ended, as if it was incomplete. 

There were times where I wanted to stop reading but I kept pushing through, even when I was ready to close it. One of the few things I appreciate though is how he managed to place in every character that had come through in his life to remind him of humanity, both good and bad. Although, there were times where I couldn't remember everyone (it's a lot of characters), it's important to not only tell Bulosan's life, but to tell others lives as well. No matter where one is from or what ethnicity, there are always good and bad within everyone, flaws and all.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Cursing, Violence, and Gun violence

readingwithcoffee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-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

3.0

The book is worth reading because it’s historical importance and Bulosan’s talent as a writer but it is so weighed down by his misogyny. The way he writes women is almost cliche and becomes predictable as you read the book with seemingly very few women he respects outside of his sisters and mother who are not active in the book once he is in America. It also shows a huge flaw in his reckoning with class and race in America that he acts like women who in the forties and beforehand barely have any individuals are ruining men’s lives by expecting them to marry them or not the ones trapped by social expectations of marriage. The fact he has more criticism for women who keep the company of men then men who use the services of sex workers or abandon their families is egregious.  It does put him square with other leftist male artists of the 20th and 21th centuries whose art is particularly harsh and violent to women. You can see his Richard wright influences but he is a much more hopeful writer. For a semi autobiographical work j found him more compelling in his letters included at the back but Bulosan was also frustrated with his finished product so maybe he wouldn’t be that surprised with my review here. I do think the book leaves the reader with a lot to think about especially in the context it was written. I did not like his depiction of Chinese in American or Alaskans natives I found both flat and racist for a author aware racism among marginalized is used to divide and distract them from solidarity movements. All that said I will likely read some of his other works later. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, War, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Infidelity, Hate crime, Gun violence, Grief, Deportation, Death of parent, Death, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Classism, Chronic illness, Child death, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Sexism

kylan's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative

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

4.0

I appreciated learning about Filipinos in the United States as a fellow Pinoy immigrant coming to the U.S. Classic literature was never centered around my experiences so this book was enjoyable in that aspect. I'm unsure if the ease I found reading it was because I shared some experiences and understood some Tagalog words used in the book. Lastly, I think what makes this book a higher rating than most was because of this relatable quality to it. I think the story itself is rather intense as some experiences Bulosan chooses to describe are intense (sexual assault, physical assault, and intense violence). I also think he didn't see women of color in a very good light. His love for education obviously made him desire educated women (in this case white women) more. But, he fails to empathize with the situation immigrant women have to deal with.   

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Violence

Minor: Misogyny

aandromeda's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Violence, and Racism

mandkips's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Gun violence, Alcoholism, and Hate crime

Minor: Violence, Misogyny, and Animal cruelty