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delmarche's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
i’m crying, pauline hopkins is fr the original hotep
gotossmycausticsalad's review against another edition
3.0
Didn't really get on with this, found the writing very old fashioned (not too surprising, given when it was written), found myself skimming rather than reading it, and I thought the plot towards the end was a bit melodramatic.
angelicasreads's review
2.0
I read this for my American Literature class. Honestly, as my rating will tell, I didn't like it. The plot became crazy and the characters were all irritating. I am not looking forward for the rest of the books I am going to have to read for this class. They all seem so boring, and this was just the first of nine. Nine boring books for a boring class that I need in order to graduate. How fun.
thequeeraunt's review against another edition
4.0
When you see this book classified as "horror," I think it might be a little bit misleading by today's understanding of the genre. Think about Of One Blood in the context of its time - horror was less about supernatural or paranormal or fantastic elements creating tense or terrifying situations and more about the darkness within human individuals and the capabilities of seemingly-ordinary people to inflict despair upon one another. It reads much more like an adventure story with strong themes of revealing hidden knowledge and making connections that seem nearly impossible. I suppose the elements of spiritualism present a paranormal element, but at the time Hopkins was writing Of One Blood, spiritualism was a popular scientific field of study.
While I didn't find it to be particularly suspenseful or spooky, I enjoyed reading Hopkins' adventure. There was plenty to keep me guessing and I was entertained for the duration of a 3 1/2-hour plane ride. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys classic horror/adventure, and those with an interest in historical Black novelists.
While I didn't find it to be particularly suspenseful or spooky, I enjoyed reading Hopkins' adventure. There was plenty to keep me guessing and I was entertained for the duration of a 3 1/2-hour plane ride. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys classic horror/adventure, and those with an interest in historical Black novelists.
toffishay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What an awesome discovery of a classic Gothic fiction written by a Black women! I had not heard about Pauline Hopkins before getting this edition of the Haunted Library of Horror Classics and I am so glad that I was able to pick up this copy. As someone who loves classic Gothic fiction, this book hit all the right tropes. <SPOILER> There's murder, betrayal, secret/hidden identities, power imbalances, revenge, and justice. I think that Dianthe's story was a little weaker in part because she has the role of the classic Gothic heroine, being the victim of injustice and waiting for rescue. In a more modern story, she would have been more active, but she tries to make her own path and receives retribution in the end. <END SPOILER> The pacing was a bit weird too, where the story felt interrupted by Reuel's story line and then we had to jump back to the original line. I also liked Reuel by the end and was eager to follow him as our main hero.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Blood, Toxic relationship, Murder, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Death, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Incest, Medical content, Violence, Animal death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Child death, Confinement, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Colonisation, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, and Classism
sarahofstories's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
dummyhuey's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
lizmart88's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-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
4.0
What a fascinating story that holds up to the test of time! Definitely recommend this interesting book. Originally published as a serial, the pace is pretty fast. It has a lot of twists and turns that rivel Dickens' novels. Opens up many philosophical questions about life.
Content Warnings
Minor: Incest and Murder
ellabratcher's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
rainbowrachel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Incest, and Gaslighting
Minor: Racial slurs