Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

There There by Tommy Orange

88 reviews

kshammel's review

4.0

Tommy Orange did a fantastic job developing characters that create a colorful kaleidoscope of urban Indian experiences. I could deeply relate to some of these characters in their conflicting feelings of being native enough, and appreciated the way Orange faced so many different elements of experience head on. His writing is excellent and I appreciated the change of writing style across character POV. My only gripe was the end of the book, I felt the *event* didn’t make sense in the larger scheme. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Colonisation

arood's review against another edition

challenging dark funny sad tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, and Colonisation

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual violence

vicnicbasket's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Murder, Grief, and Colonisation

Moderate: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

rileydobereading's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, and Racism

Moderate: Genocide, Violence, Drug abuse, and Cursing

Minor: Pregnancy and Colonisation

bibliomich's review

challenging informative sad tense medium-paced

• 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

As I made my way through There There, I found myself thinking repeatedly that my schooling must have failed me. I know so little about the history of Indigenous peoples here in the Bay Area. At a certain point, though, I have to acknowledge that I am a grown adult who is more than capable of learning more, regardless of what I failed to learn in my youth, and that's one of the reasons why I need to read more books like There There.

Tommy Orange’s novel is a story about family and history and violence and Indigenous identity. But also, it is very much a story about Oakland. I am so grateful for the recent release of Wandering Stars (which I’m planning to read next), as it brought There There back into the spotlight, without which I may have never discovered this phenomenal book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Colonisation, Murder, Addiction, Alcohol, Racism, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Violence, and Mass/school shootings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Body shaming, and Fatphobia

signeskov's review against another edition

emotional informative sad 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Murder, Colonisation, Genocide, Death, Gun violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Addiction, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Abandonment and Fatphobia

1goodkaren's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation and Gun violence

cheazcakeguy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.75

This was a powerful read. Tommy Orange's writing feels like there's a real weight behind it with every sentence. It forces you to slow down at times and really reflect on the characters and their stories. You experience the full range of human emotion while reading this book, and there were several truly gut-wrenching moments, especially at the end. The ending

was shocking yet inevitable, and I can't stop thinking about the incredible metaphor of the spider's web, both a home and a trap, which brought the characters together...

Highly recommend, though this isn't a light read and it will tear your heart out.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Violence, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, and Gun violence

Moderate: Mental illness, Car accident, Addiction, Death of parent, Suicide, Cancer, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, and Grief

Minor: Self harm, Animal death, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Child death, Rape, Racism, and Sexual assault

la_licia33's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Addiction, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

pferdina's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Twelve interconnected characters illustrate modern native life in Oakland. Called the Urban Indians, these are not the reservation inhabitants nor the stereotypes of American Indians. The chapters are told from different perspectives. It was difficult for me to read the urban dialogue and to identify with the characters but I’m glad I read this.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Alcoholism, Cursing, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Addiction, and Alcohol

Minor: Pregnancy, Abortion, Cancer, Racism, Drug use, Mental illness, Car accident, and Domestic abuse