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eengland's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Not an easy read, but well done on all aspects. First half is B R U T A L.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Rape, Gore, Sexual violence, Racism, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
hoppingpages's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
- 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
3.5
The protagonist set my head on fire.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail
kliu55's review
dark
emotional
sad
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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Native Son is a classic book I can always return to and rediscover some new aspect I hadn't noticed before. The nuances of this book are what make it so brilliant-- Bigger's name, Mrs. Dalton's blindness, Mr. Dalton's job, the representation of communism, Mrs. Thomas' namelessness, the list goes on. With such a complicated relationship to Bigger, readers are can never be comfortable fully supporting or hating him. The ending speech where Wright arguably inserts himself makes matters all the more complicated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Toxic relationship, Torture, Sexual violence, Racism, Physical abuse, and Death
hawkrose18's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
CAWPILE: 4.71
So I am pretty sure that I am not supposed to like the main character, but I really didn't like Bigger. I really didn't like how he was justifying his horrid actions to himself, and I understand why it was that way, but I just didn't like it. I know that Bigger was an uneducated Black man in the 1930s so his actions and thoughts made sense, but Bigger just got on my nerves so much and I don't know if that was the intention or not. I did like some of the lines in here and the commentary was pretty decent in my opinion, but I just was kind of grossed out by the thoughts and actions that Bigger had about/towards women because most of them were unnecessary in my opinion. I'm not an own voices reviewer and I did have to read this book for school so take that into account when reading this review. I don't think that this book is necessarily meant for me, but in the long run I am glad that I did read it, I just wish I liked it as much as I was expecting myself to like it.
So I am pretty sure that I am not supposed to like the main character, but I really didn't like Bigger. I really didn't like how he was justifying his horrid actions to himself, and I understand why it was that way, but I just didn't like it. I know that Bigger was an uneducated Black man in the 1930s so his actions and thoughts made sense, but Bigger just got on my nerves so much and I don't know if that was the intention or not. I did like some of the lines in here and the commentary was pretty decent in my opinion, but I just was kind of grossed out by the thoughts and actions that Bigger had about/towards women because most of them were unnecessary in my opinion. I'm not an own voices reviewer and I did have to read this book for school so take that into account when reading this review. I don't think that this book is necessarily meant for me, but in the long run I am glad that I did read it, I just wish I liked it as much as I was expecting myself to like it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Death, Cursing, and Blood
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