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keishlavz's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Self harm, Violence, Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Animal death, and Child death
kades26's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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
4.25
This book is a crescendo. Slow. Fast. Slow. Fast. It puts you on the edge. As a biracial woman it made me uncomfortable, but there is growth in discomfort. Character growth you're not expecting. Themes that leave you thinking. The ending was a bit flat in comparison to the rest of the book. I wanted it to be drawn out a bit more. I haven't reading another Jodi Picoult book but I liked her style. I listened to the audiobook on Libby and really enjoyed the narrators.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racial slurs, Death, Medical content, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Racism
Moderate: Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, and Police brutality
Minor: Transphobia and Antisemitism
b_spiin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma, Cursing, Hate crime, Racism, Self harm, and Racial slurs
izzy_v's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I was hesitant about this book in which a white author focuses on racism, but I am very glad I read it. Much of the commentary feels a little “Racism 101” and much simpler or less groundbreaking than I’d like it to be. However, in remembering that this book came out in 2016, before the Black Lives Matter movement and a lot of the most recent racial awakening, coupled with the fact that I think the target demographic is white people who have implicit biases despite firmly believing they’re not racist, I think the author did a good job for what she was trying to accomplish. I enjoyed the story and getting invested in the characters!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Child death, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Police brutality, Self harm, Suicide, Antisemitism, Cursing, Homophobia, Grief, Death, and Murder
book_realm_roamer's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Child death, Racism, and Racial slurs
jfarmer18's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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
4.5
It was hard for me to get through the first 20% or so of this book. I almost put it down because it was a very intense subject matter to read. I’m so glad I pushed through though. This book was enlightening and I really enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Homophobia, and Violence
bee_royal_reads_books's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
When I read the first two chapters, my first thoughts were “Damn, this is going to be a heavy one...” and I was right. I’m not going to lie, I set it down then started it anew on the first of the new year. Then, I couldn’t put it down.
Race, to this day, still feels like a touchy subject. This book made me realize exactly why I feel like that. I felt the same way as Kennedy felt. I learned, through Ruth and Kennedy, how to handle my emotions and discomfort around race and I will be moving forward with the lessons I learned from them.
I highly recommend this book, to everyone. Check your triggers though, racism isn’t the only heavy topic in this book.
I will definitely have this on my shelf to reread forevermore.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, and Child death
lcl_reads's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
As a Black woman living in the United States who has read several novels by Jodi Picoult, I was curious to consider how this one would be handled, particularly because of what I know of Picoult's background. I must admit, I was a little shocked when the first "nigger" was dropped, but as I read I appreciated the way Picoult confronted her subject head on and without flinching.
As I was reading, I felt a bit conflicted about rating the book. I really appreciated this part of the author's note at the end: " I was writing to my own community - white people- who can very easily point to a neo-Nazi skinhead and say he's racist... but who can't recognize racism in themselves." I think my conflicted feelings are because this book is not written for me.
This book was bold in its pursuit and the amount of research and thought Picoult put into the topic was evident to me.
Some critiques I've read of the book are that Ruth's story is not as developed and I actually appreciated that. I would have loved to have more of the respectibility politics, colorism, and relationships between Ruth, her mother, and her sister explored. I also think Picoult was smart in identifying that that was not her story to tell nor was that the point of this particular book.
I think it is important to remember that no book can be everything, so, yes, this book is not everything, but it is the story I think was right for Picoult to tell to the audience she has, from her position, with the support of the research she did and for what it is, it was executed as well as it could have possibly been.
As I was reading, I felt a bit conflicted about rating the book. I really appreciated this part of the author's note at the end: " I was writing to my own community - white people- who can very easily point to a neo-Nazi skinhead and say he's racist... but who can't recognize racism in themselves." I think my conflicted feelings are because this book is not written for me.
This book was bold in its pursuit and the amount of research and thought Picoult put into the topic was evident to me.
Some critiques I've read of the book are that Ruth's story is not as developed and I actually appreciated that. I would have loved to have more of the respectibility politics, colorism, and relationships between Ruth, her mother, and her sister explored. I also think Picoult was smart in identifying that that was not her story to tell nor was that the point of this particular book.
I think it is important to remember that no book can be everything, so, yes, this book is not everything, but it is the story I think was right for Picoult to tell to the audience she has, from her position, with the support of the research she did and for what it is, it was executed as well as it could have possibly been.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Religious bigotry, Cursing, Hate crime, Medical content, Medical trauma, Xenophobia, Violence, Racial slurs, Child death, Homophobia, and Death
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Suicide
craftyanty's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
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
3.5
This book falls perfectly into place in the line of Jodi Picoult's books. The plot formula is typical of her work. So readers, like me, who tend to enjoy her books will likely enjoy this one as well.
As always, Picoult took on some really difficult topics in this novel, and she wasn't shy about building her characters. As a result, this was a very challenging book for me to read. I imagine it must have been difficult for her to write from the African-American character's perspective and from the white supremacist character's perspective, leaning on research and interviews to try to do them justice.
A few more notes...
-The book did have a "white savior" vibe to it, which interestingly gets called out within the book itself.
-I didn't love the ending. The twist felt too far-fetched and the ending was too neatly wrapped.
Ended up being 3.5 stars for me, but I think it'll spark some great discussions and bring some things to light for Picoult's readers.
As always, Picoult took on some really difficult topics in this novel, and she wasn't shy about building her characters. As a result, this was a very challenging book for me to read. I imagine it must have been difficult for her to write from the African-American character's perspective and from the white supremacist character's perspective, leaning on research and interviews to try to do them justice.
A few more notes...
-The book did have a "white savior" vibe to it, which interestingly gets called out within the book itself.
-I didn't love the ending. The twist felt too far-fetched and the ending was too neatly wrapped.
Ended up being 3.5 stars for me, but I think it'll spark some great discussions and bring some things to light for Picoult's readers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Child death, Violence, and Racial slurs
cielo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, Grief, Racism, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, and Violence