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katelynprice'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, and Genocide
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Suicide, Abortion, Sexual violence, Cancer, and Drug use
crescent_moon22's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book follows 12 characters and their life journeys. They drive the plot by eventually meeting up at the big pow pow in Oakland, CA. It describes the struggles of modern day Indians after centuries of oppression. Orange has a beautiful writing style and can easily code switch between the characters.
Graphic: Rape, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Suicide, Genocide, Addiction, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Abortion, and Racism
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
𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘍𝘪𝘤 • 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 • 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺
𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 5 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘦 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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,” 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
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
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
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
chloe_hazel'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
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Addiction, Suicide, Rape, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Racism, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Abortion
fboschetti'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
4.75
Graphic: Racism, Mass/school shootings, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Addiction, and Medical content
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Abortion
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
joensign'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
4.5
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Death, Violence, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Colonisation, Alcohol, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Abortion, Addiction, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Car accident