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invaderlinz'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Suicide, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Homophobia, Grief, Gore, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Child death, and Death of parent
wai'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Racism, Rape, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Cursing, and Death
Moderate: Excrement, Death of parent, Child death, Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Murder, and Trafficking
doctorcrap's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Rape, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
n_asyikin_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Interspersed in between were ancestral voices, providing a touch of the supernatural & spiritual; once again, acting as a sort of purveyor of the truth for a group of people who saw their humanity, identity & history erased. These "ancestral voices" returning what was stolen in increment, providing a "break" between the distinct character-specific narration.
Jones gave dimensions to each perspective by enabling readers to compare how their perspectives were influenced by their social standings & their inherent needs. Jones did so by contrasting characters based on their similarity & putting said similarity through the lens of their differences; intersectional identities being the main modulator. Through them, readers were able to explore & infer what motivated each character, see how the 'self' interacted with the external world to drive certain behaviour. This built a complex structure which may require some time for readers to process & digest. At the end though, your time should be worth it. Take it as an in-depth look into each character as the story progressed.
The writings were unbelievably beautiful with its lyricism; the symbolisms used should be perceived as significant, representing the voices of those typically forced not to have any. That beauty can cushioned the brutal reality the characters faced at times, yet also stressed it on others; I thought Jones balanced it out neatly. One constant was how the story felt that it encapsulated something tremendous, beyond what was held amongst its pages.
Please heed to the trigger warnings. I personally found some scenes to be really heavy, so do take care while reading this. That being said, "The Prophets" was a powerful read about re-owning one's being, identity, & history. It spoke about how love could be a balm in a cruel reality. It was unforgiving in its resonance, & deserved to be heard.
Graphic: Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Transphobia, and Violence
deedireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Prophets is gorgeous, emotional, ambitious, incredible debut. One to be read slowly and savored. It deserves all the attention it’s gotten.
For you if: You like emotional literary fiction with poetic prose.
FULL REVIEW:
“Samuel had told Isaiah earlier in the morning to let himself lie, let himself rest, remember the moments. It would be considered theft here, he knew, but to him, it was impossible to steal what was already yours — or should have been.”
As soon as you start reading The Prophets, you know that you’re in for something reverent. The references to Toni Morrison and James Baldwin hold up. Equally hopeful and devastating, rich with meaning and tradition, and written with prose that leaps off the page and sings, this is one I could easily see being nominated for the Booker Prize.
The Prophets takes place on a Southern plantation, passing narration among a sweeping set of characters and centering on two enslaved men, Samuel and Isaiah. They fit together, are just plain right together. But eventually, the knowledge of who they are to one another begins to make its way to the family who owns the plantation. Infused into the story are the voices of ancestors, the story of a people torn apart by the slave trade, and so much more.
The longer I let this story sit, the more impressed I become by its scope and ambition. I barely even feel fit to review it. There were a few moments where I felt lost or had trouble with the pacing, but it’s important to keep in mind that this book — and especially the parts I stumbled on — was not written for me. Overall, The Prophets is a masterpiece, and critics know it.
Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Homophobia, and Child death
jennikreads's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Transphobia, Violence, and Blood
davidrb'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
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Slavery
Moderate: Child death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Violence
Minor: Excrement, Rape, and Vomit
prawntaar'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
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Rape
literaryelephant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Child death, and Trafficking