Reviews tagging 'Death'

Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticat

11 reviews

annemaries_shelves's review

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

3.0

I can see what Edwidge Danticat is such a beloved writer because she's very talented.
For me though, I just didn't love this collection. I'm not sure if it was a case of right book, wrong time, so I'd be willing to read other books/collections by her.

In seven short stories, Danticat explored a lot of themes around immigration and the Haitian diaspora, family and its obligations and secrets, pregnancy and parenthood, the impact of trauma and violence, love, and more.

But overall, the stories were just ok and nothing that I particularly loved. Though I could tell they were well crafted with interested characters, voices, and self-contained plots. The Port-au-Prince Marriage Special and Seven Stories were probably the ones I liked most.

I am glad I've read another new-to-me Haitian author and sampled more writing, perspectives, and experiences of Haitian people and the diaspora.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Deportation, Mental illness, Animal death, Child death, Grief, and Blood

Minor: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Rape

badmom's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism

Moderate: Colonisation, Racial slurs, Deportation, and Xenophobia

Minor: Chronic illness, Trafficking, Abortion, Alcohol, and Death

teeclecticreads's review

dark emotional reflective sad

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

4.0

These were all really great short stories filled with the harsh truth of life of immigration from Haiti to the United States. I think my favourites were Sunrise, Sunset and Seven Stories.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Vomit, Mental illness, Death, and Death of parent

alyssamakesart's review against another edition

reflective tense slow-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

Overall I enjoyed it. Some stories hit more than others. The best ones for me were the shorter ones though Sunrise, Sunset was on the longer side and was one of my favorites.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma

Moderate: Death of parent, Body shaming, Death, Trafficking, and Racism

Minor: Child death and Miscarriage

nadia's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this collection and Danticat’s writing.

The last story, Without Inspection, is probably one of my favourite short stories ever! So beautifully written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Infidelity, and Mental illness

Moderate: Rape

bookishcori's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Terminal illness and Dementia

seawarrior's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

This collection of short stories holds a diverse range of narratives where the characters are united in their origination from Haiti, but not much else. Their stories are moving, terrifying, heart-wrenching and continuously honest and thoughtful. Within the book, Danticat explored the innermost feelings and most significant experiences of people from all ages and walks of life. I was never sure what to expect when a new story began, but upon its conclusion I felt one world after another had been pried open for me to glance inside and reflect upon without judgement. I appreciated that most of these characters were flawed but written realistically as people trying to survive a world that presents us with infinite imperfect options. I look forward to reading more from Danticat, and would encourage others to explore her storytelling too.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, Death, Infidelity, Child death, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Classism, Dementia, Grief, Medical content, and Sexual harassment

tina94's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

Minor: Rape

mmmmmm's review

challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

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

5.0

every single way a family could possibly break or be torn apart, all explored in such a beautifully nuanced and deeply personal way. loved loved loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Dementia

emilyharmonica's review

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Rape, Child death, and Xenophobia