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nick13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Body horror, Murder, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Vomit, Sexism, Rape, Slavery, Racism, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Death of parent, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, and Self harm
Moderate: Infidelity and Incest
Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Infertility
steveatwaywords's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Butler's liberated (at least for the 1970s) narrator discovers how sinuous the workings of plantation life might well have been, how insidious the rationalizations of submission to authority. And while the book is tightly-written and highly suspenseful, her handling of dialogue and subtler action reveals the various pulls of power humans have over one another, because of and in spite of the power dynamics between them.
There are no apologies, justifications, or qualifications for slavery and its adherents here. But we instead experience a kind of subjugation and oppression which moves far deeper than the given physicality of this institution. (Now to go see how Hulu has handled it . . . )
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Slavery, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Rape, Trafficking, Grief, Sexual violence, Infidelity, Vomit, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Death, and Blood
This work directly shows several scenes of nearly every kind of inhumanity from the institution of slavery, though the descriptions fall short of body horror or gore.jedore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
"Slavery was a long slow process of dulling.”
When I heard about this book, which is a blend of historical and light science fiction, I was intrigued. I'm a huge fan of the former and interested in reading more of the latter.
The portrayal of the master-slave relationship was the most powerful aspect of this book for me. The psychology of it all was extremely insightful and educational. So tragic.
I didn't like the book as much as the majority of the others who have reviewed it or as much as I had hoped.
For a couple of reasons...
- The dialogue sometimes came across as over-explanatory and preachy. It's distracting to me (in both TV and literature) when characters over explain things to each other. In this case, it made the book feel a bit like Young Adult fiction vs Well-Read Adult Fiction.
- It was probably intentional on the author's part, but I didn't find any of the characters really lovable. In fact, on numerous occasions, the heroine got on my nerves.
This book solidified what I already suspected—my highly principled self would not have survived in the time of slavery. I would never have been able to "play along," no matter what my color. My mouth, my actions, or myself would have been the death of me.
Graphic: Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Slavery, and Rape
Moderate: Infidelity
mysticalbluerose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Slavery, Suicide, Rape, Racial slurs, Racism, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Infidelity, Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Vomit
Minor: Child death
shermansays's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Racism, and Suicide
Moderate: Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Physical abuse, Medical content, and Death
Minor: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Gun violence
grove9ruby's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Slavery, Sexual assault, Suicide, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Cursing, Alcohol, Self harm, Rape, Racial slurs, Murder, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Child death
Minor: Grief, Addiction, and Religious bigotry
foxmulders's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Slavery, Rape, Racism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Medical content, Child death, Torture, Child abuse, and Infidelity
peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Body horror, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Suicide, Death, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Xenophobia, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Dysphoria, Alcohol, Classism, Gun violence, Infidelity, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
aloy's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Medical content, Hate crime, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Self harm, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Drug use, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Murder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Death, and Confinement
echoes01's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Misogyny
Minor: Death, Sexism, Torture, Trafficking, and Suicide attempt