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bryonyporter's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
stephaniekane's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Blonde Roots by Bernardine Evaristo asks the history-alternating question: What if the transatlantic slave trade had been reversed? What if an imperialistic African nation stole and enslaved Europeans, rather than vice versa?
The story follows Doris, a woman stolen from an English town and brought to slavery in Londolo, the fictional heart of the Great Ambossan empire (and a clear parody of London and Great Britain) as she navigates life on a foreign continent, completely dehumanized and stripped of her rights, and away from everyone and everything she's known and loved. Part way through, it shifts perspectives to her owner, and becomes a biting and spot-on satire of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
Evaristo's parody does more than point out the inherent absurdity of racism and white supremacy as the Black characters use their own versions of eugenics, pseudo-science, and cultural biases to explain away why enslaving caucasians is acceptable. It highlights everything from the hypocrisy of racism to how beauty standards and cultural hierarchies have been shaped by hundreds of years of racism. But, most importantly, Blonde Roots forces the white reader to imagine a world where their ancestors were enslaved and oppressed due to the color of their skin and how those repercussions would reverberate for generations to come.
If you like revisionist history and speculative fiction (The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon, The Power by Naomi Alderman, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood) or are interested in books that explore slavery without being straight forward historical fiction (Kindred by Octavia Butler) or want to engage in anti-racist reading but struggle with non-fiction texts, I encourage you to pick up this book ASAP.
The story follows Doris, a woman stolen from an English town and brought to slavery in Londolo, the fictional heart of the Great Ambossan empire (and a clear parody of London and Great Britain) as she navigates life on a foreign continent, completely dehumanized and stripped of her rights, and away from everyone and everything she's known and loved. Part way through, it shifts perspectives to her owner, and becomes a biting and spot-on satire of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
Evaristo's parody does more than point out the inherent absurdity of racism and white supremacy as the Black characters use their own versions of eugenics, pseudo-science, and cultural biases to explain away why enslaving caucasians is acceptable. It highlights everything from the hypocrisy of racism to how beauty standards and cultural hierarchies have been shaped by hundreds of years of racism. But, most importantly, Blonde Roots forces the white reader to imagine a world where their ancestors were enslaved and oppressed due to the color of their skin and how those repercussions would reverberate for generations to come.
If you like revisionist history and speculative fiction (The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon, The Power by Naomi Alderman, The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood) or are interested in books that explore slavery without being straight forward historical fiction (Kindred by Octavia Butler) or want to engage in anti-racist reading but struggle with non-fiction texts, I encourage you to pick up this book ASAP.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Violence
ericaosko's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a book I continue to think about weeks and months after I read it. It gives a unique and powerful perspective on race and the slave trade, which revealed things to me about my own biases. The satire clever and funny, but the book was difficult to read because of the graphic violence. The violence made the book all the more hard-hitting and poignant, but it isn't always an enjoyable reading experience. This book is a must-read but should not be picked up lightly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Trafficking
beckysbookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Excrement, and Kidnapping
adel's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars - might read again
Life's Library 2020 - Rosianna's pick
Life's Library 2020 - Rosianna's pick
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Excrement
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