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katsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-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
"We are the memories we don't remember, which live in us, which we feel, which make us sing and dance and pray the way we do, feelings from memories that flare and bloom unexpectedly in our lives like blood through a blanket from a wound made by a bullet fired by a man shooting us in the back for our hair, for our heads, for a bounty, or just to get rid of us."
"Don’t ever let anyone tell you what being Indian means. Too many of us died to get just a little bit of us here, right now, right in this kitchen. You, me. Every part of our people that made it is precious. You’re Indian because you’re Indian because you’re Indian."
"Only those who have lost as much as we have see the particularly nasty slice of smile on someone who thinks they're winning when they say "Get over it."
This story was told masterfully. Each of the different stories was so interesting. Some of the stories were more fleshed out than others and it wasn't until I got to the end that I felt like I understood why. Watching so many of the different threads come together was really satisfying. (And very heart-breaking at times).
I also appreciated that this story centered urban Indigenous characters. I feel like that's a perspective that isn't often represented. I can totally understand why this book was considered for a Pulitzer. The themes it explores are are challenging and feel very real to me despite the fact that I don't share much life experience with any of the characters. Which, honestly, speaks to Orange's writing, in my opinion.
Please note that this book deals with heavy themes. Some trigger warnings include: death, gun violence, drug content and mentions of rape.
"Don’t ever let anyone tell you what being Indian means. Too many of us died to get just a little bit of us here, right now, right in this kitchen. You, me. Every part of our people that made it is precious. You’re Indian because you’re Indian because you’re Indian."
"Only those who have lost as much as we have see the particularly nasty slice of smile on someone who thinks they're winning when they say "Get over it."
This story was told masterfully. Each of the different stories was so interesting. Some of the stories were more fleshed out than others and it wasn't until I got to the end that I felt like I understood why. Watching so many of the different threads come together was really satisfying. (And very heart-breaking at times).
I also appreciated that this story centered urban Indigenous characters. I feel like that's a perspective that isn't often represented. I can totally understand why this book was considered for a Pulitzer. The themes it explores are are challenging and feel very real to me despite the fact that I don't share much life experience with any of the characters. Which, honestly, speaks to Orange's writing, in my opinion.
Please note that this book deals with heavy themes. Some trigger warnings include: death, gun violence, drug content and mentions of rape.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Car accident, Colonisation, Cursing, Gaslighting, Genocide, and Rape
hannahr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-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? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Racism, and Rape
myfriendthatcanread's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Child death, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual assault, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Body shaming
annalisaely's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Reading one of the interviews with the author, I saw he felt like the relationships and plot elements were complicated and he was weaving them together like a spider's web, and I definitely agree. This was not an optimal book for audio because I tended to miss the names that the author very kindly placed at the beginning of every chapter, so sometimes I got confused about who was speaking, which was made worse by the many interwoven relationships between the characters.
But, I figured out most of them by the end and found some of them very compelling. I was most interested in the kid who was going to collect people's oral stories, and I would have liked more time spent with him. Personally, I also prefer stories to have a more tied off ending that lets us know what happens with the characters afterward, but this just isn't that kind and is good in it's own way. I definitely felt the tension built well and that I really cared what happened to everyone.
Also from the author interview I found out the origin of the spider legs thing, which grossed me the heck out and so I had to do research on, which another reader had already done and had put in some notes about this book - apparently it's a rare thing that sometimes happens after you've been bitten by a tick. They're not spider legs, they are fibers produced by the person's own body, but thank you, Tommy Orange, for making me read that.
But, I figured out most of them by the end and found some of them very compelling. I was most interested in the kid who was going to collect people's oral stories, and I would have liked more time spent with him. Personally, I also prefer stories to have a more tied off ending that lets us know what happens with the characters afterward, but this just isn't that kind and is good in it's own way. I definitely felt the tension built well and that I really cared what happened to everyone.
Also from the author interview I found out the origin of the spider legs thing, which grossed me the heck out and so I had to do research on, which another reader had already done and had put in some notes about this book - apparently it's a rare thing that sometimes happens after you've been bitten by a tick. They're not spider legs, they are fibers produced by the person's own body, but thank you, Tommy Orange, for making me read that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Violence
Minor: Excrement
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