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brewdy_reader's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
๐๐ช๐ต๐๐ช๐ค โข ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ณ๐บ ๐๐ช๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ โข โฃ๐๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐บ
๐๐ถ๐ฃ๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฅ 5 ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฆ 2018
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ 3.75 rounded up to 4
A Pulitzer finalist, this debut novel by Tommy Orange tackles the largely untold story of modern day Native Americans living in urban cities. Set primarily in Oakland, this narrative is told from 12(!) POVs. When I first began reading I thought, "this has to be based on a true story,โ and I continued to feel that way until the story arcs started to overlap in overly-coincidental ways that only happens in fiction. However without that factor, this could have easily been a memoir told as a mini docuseries, referencing historical events that took place from 1492 through 21st century Alcatraz.
There's nothing romanticized here. No stories like what is depicted in popular TV series/movies with life on the Rez or the American frontier. There is no pulling of punches & no white savior mentality. This is not a feel good story. However, it is a well-written one, packed with vivid analogies, metaphors, and descriptions of life in a system that reinforces the status quo. Paying homage to the indelible stains of colonization and genocide of a nation and the long-lasting effects impacting many generations into the future.
The ending was not satisfying with characters' fates in the air as well as many unresolved issues between MCs. I was left wanting more than what we got. Even still, this should absolutely be required reading for all Americans. In order to change our future we must understand our past; we must confront it head on, however painful it may be.
So many TW: Domestic Violence, Gun Violence, Mass Shootings, Acoholism, Death, Addiction, Racism, Murder, Colonization, Suicide, Genocide, Drug Use/Abuse, Grief, Child Death, Rape, Cancer, Fatphobia, Abandonment, Violence...and more
Graphic: Grief, Colonisation, Death of parent, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Genocide, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Car accident, Child death, Death, Drug use, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Colonisation, and Death
readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Ableism, Murder, Alcohol, Racism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Death, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Child death, Child abuse, Car accident, Colonisation, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Drug use, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Suicide, and Animal death
Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Incest, Misogyny, Torture, War, Abortion, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Cancer, Body horror, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Excrement, and Rape
quailtea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
events from different perspectives), and was just bummed out about the main event the whole book was angling towards in a way that turned me off to it, just wanted it to be over at the end.
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Child death, and Death of parent
allisoncc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Fatphobia, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Death, Child abuse, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Grief, and Racism
Moderate: Rape, Blood, Body shaming, Car accident, Genocide, Child death, Violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Abortion
kellykc's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Body horror, Child death, Xenophobia, Violence, Racism, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Grief, Death, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
greatexpectations77's review
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Abandonment, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Classism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Fatphobia, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Toxic relationship, Child death, Religious bigotry, Ableism, Drug abuse, Racism, Abortion, Bullying, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
lilacwhisker's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Murder, Colonisation, Alcohol, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Mental illness
Moderate: Rape, Body shaming, Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, Blood, Sexual assault, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, and Pregnancy
Minor: Ableism, Abortion, Animal cruelty, and Abandonment
raelong12's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Death of parent, Child death, Alcoholism, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death, and Car accident
sydapel's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: War, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Violence, Alcoholism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual content, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Child death, Blood, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Murder, Mental illness, Hate crime, Genocide, and Physical abuse