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linabird03's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
4.5
codergrl's review against another edition
2.0
I should have known better than to pick a book Oprah recommend. I guess it's good but ooooh soooo slooooow. It started well and then it just got slower and slower and repetitive. Kid's smart, I get it. Author could have shaved off 100 pages by not constantly repeating that.
chipie's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
2.75
Started out OK but the elements of magic realism weren't developed that well and the last third of the book just became very slow.
jrmarr's review against another edition
4.0
Some wonderful writing that speaks to the horrors of slavery but in a somewhat gentle way. I'm not sure how I feel about the mystical elements of the tale - it feels a little dismissive of the risks taken both by those fleeing and those helping them flee, but it does feel like the roots of the story come from a strong tradition of myth and legend, where magical things happen and people can escape, despite all that holds them in place. Overall, I did enjoy it.
dkadastra's review against another edition
3.0
Really enjoyed this one. Has an interesting fantastical element superimposed on a moving story about slavery, memory, and what it means to be free.
penguiniq's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
cng's review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
manderzreadz's review against another edition
4.0
It was a slow but powerful, inspiring read. It shows how powerful family, memory, and mission are in life. So glad I went out of my reading comfort zone to enjoy this read!
dmoney95's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-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
5.0
themitten93's review against another edition
5.0
Listened to the audiobook version - Joe Morton is amazing and is the perfect narrator for this. The really remarkable thing about this is how in addition to the main character's story, there are many somewhat-related vignettes of all these other people, building out a full sense of place and time. This novel is a wonderful ode to the oral tradition in African-American culture, highly recommended!