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jbragg6625's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
dannb's review
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not for the faint of heart... as both an avid reader and puzzler, who is not afraid of non-linear, this often requires note taking to keep track. It seems like it just tries to do too much.
Yes, I realize it won the Pulitzer. The subject perspective is a new one to me. It was fine, but I was hoping for more.
Yes, I realize it won the Pulitzer. The subject perspective is a new one to me. It was fine, but I was hoping for more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and War
melissafirman's review
Night Watch was on my TBR before it won the Pulitzer because I apparently enjoyed one of Jayne Anne Phillip's previous novels, Lark and Termite. (I gave it 4 stars but don't seem to have reviewed it, so I can't tell you much more of my thoughts.) And I started off liking this post-Civil War historical fiction novel, too. Night Watch opens with an intriguing scene: a mother and her thirteen-year-old daughter ConaLee are being transported at night to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia. The mother is mute -- we get the sense something traumatic has happened - and she's recently given birth but the "babbies" (this pronounciation of babies kind of irked me, TBH) have been left behind.
So far, so good. I was interested in their back story but it quickly became confusing with time switches and people with two different names and, worst of all, a violent and graphically detailed rape scene. (I'm still a bit shook a day after listening to the audio narration.) From other reviews, it seems thatthere are additional assaults yet to come, including of ConaLee and that was the deciding factor for me to DNF.
So far, so good. I was interested in their back story but it quickly became confusing with time switches and people with two different names and, worst of all, a violent and graphically detailed rape scene. (I'm still a bit shook a day after listening to the audio narration.) From other reviews, it seems that
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault
b_easelbub's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Gore, Violence, Child abuse, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Body horror, Physical abuse, Confinement, War, Torture, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Murder, Slavery, Mental illness, Racism, and Emotional abuse
tarajoy90's review
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
hopesquirreled's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
2.0
I liked elements of this, there was clearly a lot of research put into representing the true Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum and the "moral treatment" advocated by Thomas Story Kirkbride. I liked the themes about war, trauma, abuse, memory, healing, but the predictability of the plot was a drawback.
I listened to the audiobook, and I do think it was well performed. Though difficult to follow the hazy, meandering sentences sometimes, after reading others' reviews, it doesn't seem like that experience was unique to the audiobook version.
I listened to the audiobook, and I do think it was well performed. Though difficult to follow the hazy, meandering sentences sometimes, after reading others' reviews, it doesn't seem like that experience was unique to the audiobook version.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
sandsing7's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
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
3.5
Read it for the plot - not the characters. It has one of the most disturbingly graphic scenes I’ve ever read - comparable to how I felt about that infamous Outlander scene.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Gun violence
Moderate: War
readingtomydogs's review against another edition
3.5
It wasn’t terrible, I liked the multiple POVs. But it was about 85% before anything happened.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
starstuff's review
2.0
At a sentence by sentence level, reading this felt like treading through deep mud. The writing is so muddled and pretentious, I found myself pulled out of story because of constant eye-rolling…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape