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rae_vinn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I didn’t like how the ending played out. I felt like it was unfair that the black woman was the one who was truly subjected to the whores of slavery. Meanwhile, the white people who, needed to do the most learning, got off easy. I don’t like that most of the gruesome details were done to the African-American characters, and when it came time for the white characters to experience death, all but one, was relatively quick.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
lisas_bookshelf's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
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
4.5
Wow! I really loved this book. It went much deeper into both the issues and soul of the events than I had anticipated. This is no mere thriller (though it works very well on that front too), it’s a thriller that also informs us of some of US history’s major events in terms of race and slavery. It certainly does not shy away from difficult subjects, and I really appreciate the way the author chose to deal with America’s current stance on and history of slavery, racism, prejudice and abuse. Very brave and very important!
Some have called this a ghost story, I would not. I interpreted what is portrayed as ghosts more like history speaking to the characters through different means, the ghosts mere echoes or representations of the past rather than actual apparitions. So, if you’re not into ghost stories, don’t let that hinder you reading this excellent book!
I listened to the audio edition, and loved the narration.
Some have called this a ghost story, I would not. I interpreted what is portrayed as ghosts more like history speaking to the characters through different means, the ghosts mere echoes or representations of the past rather than actual apparitions. So, if you’re not into ghost stories, don’t let that hinder you reading this excellent book!
I listened to the audio edition, and loved the narration.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, and Torture
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation
Minor: Confinement, Gun violence, and Gaslighting