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robvit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I didn't expect this to be a happy story. I didn't expect it to be positive, either, but I honestly did not expect it to be one of the more depressing books I've ever read. I struggled with it, as it took me 2 and a half months to finish. I could only read a few pages at a time before I put it down, not necessarily for its graphic and often upsetting nature, but just because it's basically one horrible thing after another happening to the main character, and it gets pretty hopeless after a while. I do not want to be ignorant to the horrors of slavery. It's a travesty amongst the worst the human race has ever conceived, and as a concept it is full of horrors I'm sure I can't even begin to imagine, and Colson Whitehead captures that essence well. It just doesn't make for a page turner, at least in my opinion, when every shred of hope this character has is immediately stamped out within a page or two.
I also had issues with the way the book would jump around. You'd read about a character, realize they're somehow important or you're supposed to be affected by what happens to them, and then their backstory is slightly explained after their fate is sealed. I didn't like the pacing because of that. I felt like there were too many characters that I could have cared more about if I'd known who they were before I found out what happened to them. It just seemed like an odd way to tell the story.
Overall, I think I'm glad I read it, as it opened my eyes more to the unbelievable injustice of slavery, but I would have a hard time recommending it to anyone without explaining everything I just said.
Graphic: Murder, Abandonment, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Death of parent, Trafficking, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racial slurs, Torture, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Racism, Death, Hate crime, and Sexual assault
travisppe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Kidnapping, Rape, War, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Racial slurs, and Self harm
charlotteih's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Misogyny, Mass/school shootings, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Confinement, Gore, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Trafficking, Torture, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Violence, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Abortion, Murder, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Body horror, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
greatexpectations77'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
Graphic: Gun violence, Kidnapping, Torture, Death, Gore, Grief, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Stalking, Trafficking, Blood, Classism, Confinement, Genocide, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Infidelity, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Child death, Child abuse, Excrement, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Animal death, Colonisation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Medical content
dianaschmidty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Slavery, Racial slurs, Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Death, Torture, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, Gun violence, Gore, and Confinement
passionatereader78's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Torture, Blood, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Rape, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, and Blood
caitie578's review against another edition
- 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? No
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Slavery, Child abuse, Racial slurs, and Emotional abuse
itsbumley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Torture, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Trafficking
darren_cormier's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Classism, Child death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, and Slavery
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Sexual assault
fairytamer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Racism, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Murder, Racial slurs, Rape, Physical abuse, and Child death