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dawntin's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a dark but realistic story about a failing marriage, racism, and class struggles. I thought the descriptions were sometimes too long, but they really shone in the moments that were important. The characters were interesting. As much as I disliked Mary Turner—she was a pathetic and whiny main character—I found it a bit heartbreaking that she never got over herself. She was a white woman who expected things from society that she could not obtain. Coupled with her hatred of black people, I think it was her mental health issues that led to her downfall. She was married to Dick seemingly just so they could say they were married: she didn’t like him and bashed on him all the time. Additionally, she hated the household’s native servants. This was not only because they were black, but also since they routinely outperformed her. She couldn’t think about that happening because of her more privileged status, and yet it did. The black man Moses had even ironically been kind to her for a period of time before, well, she was killed. Mary never improved herself, but I guess that’s the whole point of the story. The author did a great job at connecting various issues of colonization through the characters and their relationships with one another.
Graphic: Colonisation, Murder, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Classism, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Sexual harassment
tales_of_1001_books's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-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
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
waybeyondblue's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, and Slavery
Moderate: Colonisation, Murder, Violence, and Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death, Vomit, and Blood
leahfigiel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Slavery, Murder, and Colonisation
nievebrown25's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
vieve_97's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, and Physical abuse
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