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lianne_rooney'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
4.5
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Colonisation
Moderate: Grief, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
ruthhelizabeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Rape, and Torture
Moderate: Pregnancy and Religious bigotry
Minor: Incest, Fire/Fire injury, and Forced institutionalization
genzea'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Slavery, Violence, Gaslighting, Racism, and Torture
Moderate: Self harm and Ableism
Worth reading. Very interesting and intense story. Deserves all the hypeeditoryalizing'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
4.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Vomit, Violence, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Racism
Minor: Forced institutionalization
rlgreen91'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
I'm sure there are tons of literature out there about this novel and the idea of power, and what it means to have power over another person, and how that intersects with the racial hierarchies of the U.S. I'm also sure that there is a lot of literature about this novel and what it means to love someone, and how that works or doesn't in terms of power dynamics. I think the parallel Butler drew between Rufus and Kevin was an insightful critique of how our view of marriage is subject to the same feelings of love as possession and ownership, regardless of whether the characters believe they are equal.
I do want to say that I think this novel, along with Toni Morrison's A Mercy, does a great job of showing how a person is influenced by their culture, and that since a society is set up to incentivize certain behaviors, how difficult it is to get a single person to act in a different way. Rufus Weylin, like Morrison's Jacob Vaark, is a man of his time, who reconciles himself to the practices of his time, even if there's some initial resistance. But, we also see them take the occasional action that goes outside of what the society and culture of the time dictate. That doesn't necessarily mean that he should be absolved of his cruel actions - and is beside the point. Similarly, Weylin's departure from how other slaveowners act, including his own father, isn't enough on its own to dismantle the whole system of slavery. But those departures make a difference in someone's life - notably Hagar's, and Dana's, although for good or bad it's hard to say.
One other thing I liked about this novel was a bit of truth-telling, when Dana forced Rufus to confront that he was responsible for what happened to Alice. It reminds me of Butler's short story "Bloodchild", when Gan is honest about what it would mean to volunteer his sister for what has up to that point been his destiny. I noted this in my review of that collection, but it's refreshing to see characters be honest with themselves about what the choices they make say about what and who they value. It's something I wish we'd engage in more in real life, honestly, so I'll always appreciate a moment like that in a novel.
Overall, this was a solid 4.5 stars. On to the Parables.
Graphic: Slavery, Sexual violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Death of parent, and Suicide
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Mental illness
joeyk06'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: Blood, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Slavery, and Violence
narbine'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Rape, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Alcohol, Slavery, Torture, Racism, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Gore, Death, Vomit, Alcoholism, Blood, Colonisation, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
ekmook'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Physical abuse, Vomit, Confinement, Medical content, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Violence, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Addiction, Cursing, Drug use, Car accident, and Drug abuse
alexwuwho'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, Self harm, Physical abuse, Racism, and Rape
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
mandi4886'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Slavery, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cursing, Infertility, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, War, and Vomit
Minor: Body shaming, Colonisation, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Stalking, and Antisemitism