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aritan's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Bullying, Pregnancy, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
penofpossibilities's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Classism, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Incest, Racial slurs, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual content, Rape, Colonisation, Confinement, Infidelity, Misogyny, Violence, Sexual violence, Addiction, Bullying, Death, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Animal death, Fatphobia, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Slavery
Minor: Gun violence and Miscarriage
vvaanneessssaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Abandonment, and Racial slurs
mikarala's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
But again, that's kind of the point. This isn't supposed to be an easy read. It's horrifying, but it's meant to be because Morrison wants to depict how intergenerational trauma and internalized racism have affected the Black community. So for that reason, I found this hard to rate. In terms of getting its message across, I give this book 5 stars. But I just hated this experience of reading this so much (seriously, watch out for all the content warnings) that I can't really rate it higher.
Graphic: Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Incest, Abandonment, Animal death, Body shaming, Pedophilia, Mental illness, and Misogyny
Moderate: Suicide and Excrement
booknerd_therapist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
I can see why white people are so disturbed by it. *I* am disturbed by it and I was prepared (somewhat) for controversial issues.
When I sit with and look past my discomfort.... what is underneath that is wonderment that white children are so shielded from the horrors black children are exposed to regularly.* I can see why white parents are so reactive.... if their white children had any idea what their black friends, teammates, frenemies, etc had to live with, it would shatter everything their mostly-white schools, churches, sports teams, etc were trying to teach them about the world and their place in it.
I do recommend this to my white friends because I believe it is equally valuable to any non-fiction antiracist book when it comes to challenging racism. And it is a beautiful work on its own. Just be prepared to sit with your discomfort.
*One of the recurring themes in the book is sexual abuse. I feel the need to give a disclaimer that sexual abuse is absolutely not a racial issue, but rather an issue children in general are exposed to. Part of the author's overall goal is to speak to the lives of children and their inherent vulnerability.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Incest, Rape, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Racial slurs, Mental illness, Abandonment, Addiction, and Pregnancy
Minor: Death
bennybooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Bullying, Racial slurs, Vomit, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Incest, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Excrement
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Hate crime, Medical content, Incest, Death, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Vomit, and Grief
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Classism, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Excrement, Sexism, and Death of parent
estanis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Child abuse, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Rape, Racism, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Classism, Sexual assault, and Animal death
narbine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Bullying, Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Incest
Moderate: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Minor: Religious bigotry, Slavery, Grief, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Adult/minor relationship
booksjessreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was not what I was fully expecting, and I think this made me appreciate it more. Told from multiple points of view and through a seasonal perspective of the events Pecola ensures, it details the complexity of the ways in which beauty, culture, poverty, colourism and sexism intertwine.
I think the things that have completely astounded me about this novel is its purpose and its language. What I love about this, is that Morrison tells the story in a structured way, allowing us to understand the psychological motivations and histories of the characters. She shows us that the characters should not be excused for their behaviour, but simply showing us what made the characters the way that they are. In her forward and afterword, Morrison mentions how she wanted to fragment the chapters into different perspectives, seasons etc. and allow the reader to piece the story together. Whilst she looks in retrospect and felt this didn't work for the novel, I think it works well and made the novel effective.
This novel is short but it is packed with so much heavy content. It is beautifully written - each sentence flows into one another. I don't think I have read lyrical writing quite like this. There is a lot that is packed into its 212 pages, but I appreciated every page and the story and messages told through her work. I am highly anticipated her other novels and am eager to get into them.
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Incest, Pedophilia, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Animal death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Pregnancy, and Excrement