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karenclare's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Suicide
zedohee's review against another edition
there’s never a reason to depict rape on page and even less to show one of a child. in such a vile world where it’s inescapable what does anyone especially a woman gain? makes me sick and I hate it. tired of this perverse violation being inescapable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Rape, and Sexual violence
isobelkwc's review
4.0
Beautifully told story of several generations of the same family and through it, the legacy of slavery in the USA. The early 20th century timeline isn’t heavily featured but it holds the other stories together and feels all the more poignant in the wider context of the book. The ghost element may not be for everyone but it helped to highlight the importance of ancestors/ancestral memory. Probably a bit cliche, but it did make me think of Beloved.
treasa017's review
It's beautiful but heartbreaking and I wasn't in a strong enough place to deal with that right now.
jaclyncrupi's review
3.0
A gut-turning slavery narrative to remind us of the brutalities of the recent past and the lengths women will go to in order to protect family.
frinsreads's review against another edition
4.0
I remember there being buzz around this book when it was on the Women's Prize 2019 longlist. I remember people being disappointed when it didn't make the shortlist, and I totally understand why now. This book was so difficult to read, but because of its subject matter it is so impactful. Some scenes in this book made me feel physically sick, but if you can handle the triggers (listed below) it's such an insightful read
We follow Spring, and her sister Tempe's ghost, as they discover the news that Edward, Tempe's son, has been involved in a street car accident and accused of a crime. The story unfolds as Springs recounts their family's history to her comatose nephew
This book reminded me a lot of Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, in that we see a young Black woman (in Remembered, she's a 12 year old girl) ripped from her life of freedom and forced into slavery, submission, and silence. In Kindred there's a speculative twist, but the message is the same
I liked the format of this story, how it was told as a reflection of a life looking back. That kind of narrative always reminds me of classics like Wuthering Heights, a story within a story, which I always enjoy. It's also an important way for characters to reflect on their lives and the lives of their ancestors, while passing these stories on
TW: violent kidnap, rape, slavery, racial prejudice
We follow Spring, and her sister Tempe's ghost, as they discover the news that Edward, Tempe's son, has been involved in a street car accident and accused of a crime. The story unfolds as Springs recounts their family's history to her comatose nephew
This book reminded me a lot of Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, in that we see a young Black woman (in Remembered, she's a 12 year old girl) ripped from her life of freedom and forced into slavery, submission, and silence. In Kindred there's a speculative twist, but the message is the same
I liked the format of this story, how it was told as a reflection of a life looking back. That kind of narrative always reminds me of classics like Wuthering Heights, a story within a story, which I always enjoy. It's also an important way for characters to reflect on their lives and the lives of their ancestors, while passing these stories on
TW: violent kidnap, rape, slavery, racial prejudice
martha_is_reading's review against another edition
I stopped at the point, relatively early on, that there was a pretty graphic child rape scene, sorry not for me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Rape
njw13's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
3.75
time_travel_tragedy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
4.5
This book. . . it feels like a book that should be taught in schools. This would be a great book for a history class in the unit on slavery. It would teach people about the fact that not everyone was free as soon as the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. I see a lot of history in these pages. I want more historical fiction books like this. Talking about what it was truly like in the past. I feel like so often historical fiction books simply romanticize the time period they are set in even while making nods to the struggles of the time. I'm sure there's a place for that, but there is also a place for books like this that tell us how it was through the voices of fictional characters based on real things that more than likely did happen to someone back then, many someones even.
This is definitely a book you have to read slowly so you digest it properly. I had trouble with this because I tend to want to devour the books I read. But this book forced me to slow down and really listen.
More people need to read this book.
Side note: I guess I should have known from the summary that we were not going to get to focus on the 1910s and Edwards journey, but I could really use another book from her going through Edward's journey because I think there is a story there that we did not get to explore nearly enough. The summary got me excited because I thought I was going to read a book taking place in an older version of Philadelphia, a city I've come to love & was intrigued to see written in the pages of a book. Now I have to find one that does take place in Philadelphia.
This is definitely a book you have to read slowly so you digest it properly. I had trouble with this because I tend to want to devour the books I read. But this book forced me to slow down and really listen.
More people need to read this book.
Side note: I guess I should have known from the summary that we were not going to get to focus on the 1910s and Edwards journey, but I could really use another book from her going through Edward's journey because I think there is a story there that we did not get to explore nearly enough. The summary got me excited because I thought I was going to read a book taking place in an older version of Philadelphia, a city I've come to love & was intrigued to see written in the pages of a book. Now I have to find one that does take place in Philadelphia.