Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster

8 reviews

eyedoc's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Bullying, Death, Drug use, Grief, and Murder

dominic_t's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

3.0

This one is a challenging read. Watching the characters engage in self-destructive behavior again and again was uncomfortable. It is well-written and the characters are well-developed. 

The ending really got to me.

It broke my heart to see Gee fuck up his relationship with Noelle beyond repair. I was rooting for them! Although I will give the author props for the late reveal. Totally surprised me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Infidelity, Drug use, and Racism

Moderate: Miscarriage and Racial slurs

beklovesbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional

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

2.25

Really interesting non-linear format of moving forward and backward in time sometimes by decades other times by a month and each time changing whose perspective the story is being told from while overlapping in someway with the other storytellers and stories. It would have been helpful to start a timeline and list of characters at the beginning.

Overall a pretty depressing book as people are constantly using one another, tolerating neglect, and there’s just so much graphic emphasis on sex!

Interesting perspective of poverty, race, and generational trauma. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Drug use, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infertility, Bullying, Classism, Xenophobia, Abortion, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, and Racism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Trafficking, Vomit, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

kimveach's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• 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? Yes

3.5

This was a good story with interesting characters.  However, I didn't like the back and forth between timelines.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Death of parent

Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Classism, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Addiction, Car accident, Grief, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Blood, Drug use, Abortion, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, and Sexual content

ladygetslit's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book isn’t really about the integration of a school in the early 2000s. It’s more about the messy nature of human beings, who are so often selfish, prejudiced, anxious, and ignorant. 

I wanted to rate this higher, because the writing was good, and I appreciate what Naima Coster accomplished with this book. Unfortunately, I just didn’t feel connected to the characters. Everyone in this book is some kind of asshole, and even though I can understand why, it just kept me from really feeling for them. I think if the story had focused only on Noelle and Gee, I would’ve been able to settle in more. As it is, the story follows so many different people and I didn’t have the time to feel connected to their story enough to be invested in the outcomes. 

I would still recommend this book, because I think it does a good job of exploring the experience of being biracial, of being on the outside of something looking in. It just didn’t pack the emotional punch I wanted it to.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Racism, and Infidelity

Moderate: Drug abuse, Addiction, Cancer, Death of parent, and Miscarriage

Minor: Abortion, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder

bookmaddie's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

I felt really close to this story, since it took place where I grew up. The setting, characters—it all felt so familiar, Coster captures it perfectly. 

The beginning of this story is heartbreaking. It really hit me, and provided necessary context for the rest of the story, which weaves back and forth in time and between characters. While this structure was a bit confusing at times, Coster did a great job of making each section count. Sometimes a character is only followed for short periods, yet you really get to know each person deeply. Each personality radiated across the page, and it was really fascinating to see how individual decisions impacted their lives across time (and across families).

This story centers around the integration of a high school in North Carolina in the early 2000s, so there is a heavy focus on racism and classism. Even when people deny that their actions are fueled by racism (lmao this rlly reminded me of conversations I've had at home w family), Coster makes it crystal clear how racism is fuels people's actions and words. Reading about Gee and his friends trying to fit in at a (previously) all-white high school was really powerful and affecting.

What I found most unexpected was the beautiful focus on family and finding your own path in life. Because this story covers such a long period of time, you are able to zoom out and realize the circular nature that life can take at times.

Even though I felt really close to this story, it hasn't stuck with me the way I thought it might. I think it's a really impactful read and would encourage anyone to give it a read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Racial slurs, and Racism

whatskatiereading's review

emotional medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Racial slurs

caseythereader's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Abortion, Alcoholism, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Violence