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sarah984's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Alcoholism, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Genocide, Animal death, Ableism, Colonisation, Abortion, Drug use, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, and Rape
dinipandareads'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? It's complicated
3.5
This isn't an easy book to review and there's nothing I can say that others haven't already said and done so much better than I ever could, too. This is a highly-lauded piece of literary fiction and part of me understands why but maybe this book was just too smart for me because I often struggled to really "get" it. I empathised with many of the characters and I wound up spilling tears over them by the end but, at times, it was hard to feel fully immersed in the story and to grasp what the author was trying to share. Perhaps it was the writing style that also didn't entirely work for me as we switched from third-person and first-person perspectives almost every other chapter. Add to that the wide array of characters and shifting timelines as we get their life stories from childhood to adulthood, and it wasn't always easy to keep track of who's who and what's what. That said, I loved seeing how each character's life intersects with another and I think Orange masterfully weaves together the fabric of their stories to create one big, captivating, yet heartbreaking tapestry.
Although the novel discusses the beauty, pride and fortitude of the native community, it is not a happy story. It explores weighty subjects including race, colonialism, intergenerational trauma, identity and belonging, mental health, abuse, and addiction. There is a lot of power behind the author's writing and although each character's narrative was difficult to read it also emphasised the need and importance of their stories being heard. Some of the quotes in this hit so hard and I think one of them sums this story up rather perfectly:
“The tragedy of it all will be unspeakable, the fact we’ve been fighting for decades to be recognized as a present-tense people, modern and relevant, alive, only to die in the grass wearing feathers.”
How utterly devastating. 🥺
Ultimately, while it wasn't always smooth sailing, I'm glad that I didn't give up on this because it was rewarding to work through. I can see why it's so well-loved and I'm glad to have finally read it. I don't doubt that although it may not feel like it right now, this will be a story I'll continue to think about long after I put it back on the shelf.
Graphic: Racism, Physical abuse, Death, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Colonisation, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Addiction
torturedreadersdept's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Ableism, Body horror, Death, Cursing, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Racism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Genocide, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, Body shaming, Grief, Addiction, Blood, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Car accident, Death of parent, Dysphoria, and Suicide
Moderate: Abortion
basonok'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: Gun violence
Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent
Minor: Rape and Physical abuse
dee_hzz'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
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Domestic abuse, Death, Gore, Blood, Alcohol, Colonisation, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcoholism
riverrliam's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Colonisation, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Confinement, Gun violence, Death, Addiction, Mental illness, Drug use, and Cursing
Minor: Rape
thisameliagirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Mass/school shootings, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Addiction, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, and Death
felofhe's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Chronic illness, Classism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Violence, Ableism, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Sexism, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Pregnancy, Body shaming, War, Car accident, Child abuse, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
mountain_adventures's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Addiction, Physical abuse, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Gore, Body shaming, Car accident, Alcohol, and Death
Moderate: Pregnancy, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Racism, Racial slurs, and Abortion
itsjadenbaby's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Colonisation, Racism, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Drug use, and Cancer
Minor: Abandonment, Ableism, Grief, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Fatphobia, and Classism