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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
dark
medium-paced
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The less-than-positive reviews I saw for this book were centered around Ward's inclusion of ghosts and magical realism. These reviews seemingly ignore the fact that the ghosts are the heart of the novel. It's a real testament to an allegiance to family and friends even when they cross into the afterlife, and how they both physically and metaphorically remain with us, even when we can't exactly see them. The power of crossing over requires the power of forgiving, being forgiven and letting go of earthly woes. Having the story be told through the eyes of both an innocent — JoJo — and a guilty — Leonie — was a really great authorial choice. Both of them see their own kind of ghost, and both of them respond differently to the past: JoJo is inquisitive, while Leonie fears it. This representation of generational trauma was really powerful to me, with the perpetuator of it refuses to take blame while the receiver searches for the reason for the madness. The style of writing and the choices in characterization were very simplistic yet so laden with meaning — a perfect encapsulation of "the poison dripping through" and the potential to catch it before it infects.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Death, Rape, Terminal illness, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
Minor: Cancer, Abortion, Abandonment
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Immediate love. Read it in a day, but there's so much in this book I feel like I will read it again - both for the pleasure of reading Jesmyn Ward's beautiful words, but also to sift through the many stories she tells.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Having recently finished Beloved there are some obvious similarities, although this work has the added heat of the Southern location to fan the gothic flames. I struggled with the multiple narrators a bit as they chopped and changed so often and I didn't feel that invested.
The praising quotes in my edition mention Faulkner three times; Time even suggests Ward to be "the heir to Faulkner." This is quite an accolade, but stylistically, Ward is a far easier read than her predecessor. Faulkner can trouble even the most well read with his stream of consciousness and experimental style. This is far more accessible.
The praising quotes in my edition mention Faulkner three times; Time even suggests Ward to be "the heir to Faulkner." This is quite an accolade, but stylistically, Ward is a far easier read than her predecessor. Faulkner can trouble even the most well read with his stream of consciousness and experimental style. This is far more accessible.
Depressing, disturbing reality -don’t read if your looking for a happy ending