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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Impeccably written, nuanced characters, magical realism, intense themes, & a storyline that I won’t soon forget. Objectively, this deserves a 4.5+ rating, but I was just not in the mood for a book with so much sorrow. While I didn’t enjoy this as much as I expected to, I do appreciate the significance of it, and will absolutely read more of Jesmyn Ward.
a beautifully written book however it did lull me to sleep
(mississippi read)
(mississippi read)
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
slow-paced
Beautiful, descriptive writing. Super slow and no real conflicts or resolutions.
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Often when I first start reading a book I'm not really into it, but as the story develops I grow more invested and really start liking it. Unfortunately I had the opposite experience with this book and feel quite conflicted. Not the biggest fan of the ghost storyline- I feel like it detracted from the rest of the plot and characters. However, Jesmyn Ward has one of the most lyrical, enchanting writing styles I've ever experienced. I listened to the audiobook and the voice actors were all spectacular. I will absolutely be tracking down the author's other books.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book carried two burdens when I began it: the cachet of winning the coveted National Book Award, and the descriptor "Faulknerian" (an adjective that Ward has embraced in the Q&A at the end of my edition). So, I gotta say, I expected more, in terms of complex language, character evolution, and, frankly, plot. The only real-world event that happens until the closing chapters of the book is the car ride to and from Parchman Prison to pick up Jojo's dad. I was also a little surprised at how much of the book is enveloped by Michaela being sick and vomiting, in graphic detail every time. (Spoiler: it's literally half of the book.) There are moments of transcendence in the writing, particularly when she dabbles with ghosts. And part of my distaste for the book is undoubtedly personal bias. Lit-fic is my jam, but my favorite examples involve the book's characters engaging in some attempt to attain joy, or, at least, the novels have the main character change in some way by its closing pages. Jojo, inarguably the heart of this book, watches events transpire as a passive observer, and I had a hard time with this as a result.
Opening passage:
I like to think I know what death is. I like to think that it’s something I could look at straight. When Pop tell me he need my help and I see that black knife slid into the belt of his pants, I follow Pop out the house, try to keep my back straight, my shoulders even as a hanger; that’s how Pop walks. I try to look like this is normal and boring so Pop will think I’ve earned these thirteen years, so Pop will know I’m ready to pull what needs to be pulled, separate innards from muscle, organs from cavities. I want Pop to know I can get bloody. Today’s my birthday.
Closing passage:
Kayla tugs my arm and I lift her up. Pop turns. I follow him as he looks for raccoon and possum and coyote, bends branch after branch as he leads us back to the house. Kayla hums over my shoulder, says “Shhh” like I am the baby and she is the big brother, says “Shhh” like she remembers the sound of the water in Leonie’s womb, the sound of all water, and now she sings it.
Home, they say. Home.
Opening passage:
I like to think I know what death is. I like to think that it’s something I could look at straight. When Pop tell me he need my help and I see that black knife slid into the belt of his pants, I follow Pop out the house, try to keep my back straight, my shoulders even as a hanger; that’s how Pop walks. I try to look like this is normal and boring so Pop will think I’ve earned these thirteen years, so Pop will know I’m ready to pull what needs to be pulled, separate innards from muscle, organs from cavities. I want Pop to know I can get bloody. Today’s my birthday.
Closing passage:
Home, they say. Home.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated