Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Mothers, by Brit Bennett

8 reviews

bridgetbry's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion and Infidelity

Moderate: Suicide and Sexual assault

Minor: War and Racism

jesshindes's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective tense 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

4.0

I really enjoyed 'The Mothers', even more I think than 'The Vanishing Half', which I read and liked last year. As with that second book, I think Bennett does particularly well with characterisation and relationships: in this case, she sets up three central characters, (Nadia, Luke and Aubrey) all teenagers when the book begins, and traces their relationships with each other and with the church community where they meet. She deals with painful experiences sensitively and plausibly, writes a diverse cast of characters (in terms of age, sexuality, class, dis/ability as well as race) that feels real rather than forced, and her style is careful and precise as well as very readable. This is one of those books where you really care about what the characters mean to each other (I particularly valued the weight given to Nadia and Aubrey's friendship); where you see the ways they can hurt each other and wish they wouldn't but understand that it's life and of course, that's how relationships sometimes work. All in all, good read, and I'll look forward to whatever she publishes next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Child abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Violence, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Minor: Racism

chloe_hazel's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Abortion, Domestic abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Racism and War

zoebill96's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Abortion, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Racism, Infertility, and Sexual content

Minor: Car accident, Child death, Grief, and Gun violence

laurataylor's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Death, Murder, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Suicide

Moderate: Chronic illness, Toxic friendship, Violence, and War

Minor: Racism

wellreadmegs's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

Like The Vanishing Half, this book was slow to start and took me a while to get into. But I'd say about 75-100 pages in we were finally getting to a more interesting plot and the last 100 pages or so flew by. I like that the author isn't afraid to talk about difficult subjects and the complexities of life. I wish the ending included more about Nadia's life in her 30s and 40s because it felt abrupt. Motherhood and mothers are complex & this book is no exception. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Racism, and Suicide

doireann_ni_chaoimh's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I listened to this on audiobook and disliked the reading of the book itself. I also didn’t like the narrators within the text. 

That characters aren’t likeable for the most part and the style did not appeal to me at all. 

Really only finished this book because I was reading it for Bookclub. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide and Racism

unfiltered_fiction's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, and Miscarriage