Reviews with content warning for Grief - El ferrocarril subterráneo

I looked forward to reading this book for some time, as I found the concept of the Underground Railroad being reimagined as a literal railroad that transported slaves to safety as something fantastical and reminiscent of a childhood idea of mine that I never did anything with. The railroad is not a focal point of this book. Sure, it's used a handful of times and is also used allegorically, but it doesn't warrant being the title of the book.

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.

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sarahbiegelsen's review against another edition

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dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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emikateb's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad tense

Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.25

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tigerkind's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

„A plantation was a plantation; one might think one’s misfortunes distinct, but the true horror lay in their universality.“

A capitivating read, especially interesting if you’re familiar with other (neo) slave narratives. Focusing purely on the reading experience I found the book a bit predictable and the style alienating from the character’s emotions and suffering - but I think it fits the narrative. The story is not indulgent in recounting the emotional and physical horrors of slavery (though they’re there, no doubt about it) but focuses more on perseverance and persistence.

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travisppe's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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greatexpectations77's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

Whew. This one is a really rough read, but the writing is so excellent. It's extremely distressing, but it's an important read. Absolutely will read this author again.

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your_true_shelf's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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? It's complicated

4.25

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tushhh's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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? No

3.25

I really thought I was going to love this book more than I did. I don't even want to really admit that, but its true. It was slow for the most part which is why it took me a while to pick it up and the gaps between me reading grew longer. I really liked Cora and her being the embodiment of persistence and striving for Freedom at any and every cost. Because in a situation like that you WILL fight for your life.

Of course where we're sections that were hard to read. I love historical fiction and I learned so much about the disgusting ways in which slaves were treated through these characters! The weekly community lynching and the road with hung people was crazy to me. Overall the pacing was slow but there were tense and more fast-paced moments scattered throughout.

I'm not sure what would have made it any better tbh. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it.

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