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myza's review against another edition
5.0
This novel is just over 200 pages and hit me hard. It was beautifully written about a very hard subject (sexual slavery) and how people heal. I tore through this book in a day - every time I finished a chapter I wanted to know what happened next. One of the highlights of my reading year and would highly recommend to everyone.
manaledi's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very quick, very good read. There's a lot to unpack here about gender and custom and U.S. (in this case Black) saviorism in Africa. The slavery parallels were very intentional and explicit.
soupwitch86's review against another edition
5.0
I don't think I've ever read a book in a single day. But this story pulled me right the fuck in and would not let go. Now I have to read everything ever written by Bernice L. McFadden.
This riveting, fast-paced story spans the history of three generations of a family in a fictional West African country, Ukemby. It covers slavery, religion, misogynoir, and ritual servitude. The bonds of women, especially mother-daughter bonds, were at the fore-front of this novel. It taught me about things I hadn't previously known about, it made me cry, cry, cry. In a review of the book I read it will break you apart and then heal you, and I have to agree.
This is a terrific piece of fiction that I would recommend to anyone, although content warning for: slavery, physical abuse, sexual abuse, child rape.
This riveting, fast-paced story spans the history of three generations of a family in a fictional West African country, Ukemby. It covers slavery, religion, misogynoir, and ritual servitude. The bonds of women, especially mother-daughter bonds, were at the fore-front of this novel. It taught me about things I hadn't previously known about, it made me cry, cry, cry. In a review of the book I read it will break you apart and then heal you, and I have to agree.
This is a terrific piece of fiction that I would recommend to anyone, although content warning for: slavery, physical abuse, sexual abuse, child rape.
shannon97's review against another edition
2.0
This is a book centers around the subject of ritual slavery. But it never treats the topic with the depth and feeling that one might hope. In the first third of the book, Abeo is a very loved and cherished child in a well off family. For her, it is completely unexpected when her father takes her to the shrine and abandons her there.
Abeo experiences more than a decade of hunger, abuse, rape and torture. When she is finally released to a rehabilitation center, she is beyond the ability to speak and respond. But these years pass very quickly in the novel and none of the other girls she is enslaved with are well developed. Her time in the rehabilitation center is also glossed over with little detail. From there, the answers come remarkably easily. She has a chance meeting on a New York subway with a man she knew in her home country of Ukemby. Simple kindness and well timed words of wisdom erase her trauma and allow her to move on with a new life. In fact, her aunt in the U.S. struggles more with her demons and the difficult aspects of her past, despite a life that is orders of magnitude easier and less traumatizing than Abeo’s has been. These easy answers feel shallow and dissatisfying. In the end, I felt that McFadden just didn’t do justice to her character or to the subject she was trying to illuminate in this novel.
Abeo experiences more than a decade of hunger, abuse, rape and torture. When she is finally released to a rehabilitation center, she is beyond the ability to speak and respond. But these years pass very quickly in the novel and none of the other girls she is enslaved with are well developed. Her time in the rehabilitation center is also glossed over with little detail. From there, the answers come remarkably easily. She has a chance meeting on a New York subway with a man she knew in her home country of Ukemby. Simple kindness and well timed words of wisdom erase her trauma and allow her to move on with a new life. In fact, her aunt in the U.S. struggles more with her demons and the difficult aspects of her past, despite a life that is orders of magnitude easier and less traumatizing than Abeo’s has been. These easy answers feel shallow and dissatisfying. In the end, I felt that McFadden just didn’t do justice to her character or to the subject she was trying to illuminate in this novel.
phoebe_m's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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
5.0
This book broke my heart. I don’t often cry in books but for this one I did. Would highly recommend.
t33_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
No words for how much I love this book.
I want to re-read it 1,000 times over!
I will be hitting up Bernice L. McFadden backlist IMMEDIATELY!
I want to re-read it 1,000 times over!
I will be hitting up Bernice L. McFadden backlist IMMEDIATELY!
shmagenls88's review against another edition
5.0
McFadden's writing brings a unique voice to unique characters. She doesn't waste words, but nothing is lost. In fact so much is added. Thus story is heartbreaking and beautiful and reminds me of the storytelling power of Jesmyn Ward. I finished it in 2 days.
iliberiangirl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
karissakate's review against another edition
5.0
This book is important! & wonderfully written. I will be reading more by Bernice L. McFadden for sure!
njw13's review
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-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? No
4.0