Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Greenwood by Michael Christie

6 reviews

wordsmithreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Wood is time captured. A map. A cellular memory. A record. This is why, Liam believes, carpenters like himself will never go out of business. Because people will always keep wood close: in our houses and on our floors, ceilings, and walls; in our trusted canes and our finest musical instruments; in our heirloom tables and old rocking chairs; and, most tellingly, in the very capsules that ease our journey into the ground. When carpenters call a piece of wood clear, they mean it is free of knots and wanes and blemishes. And during his many years of fussing over wood, cutting it to exact lengths and lovingly fitting it together just right, all before buffing it to a soul-warming shine, Liam Greenwood has often thought that people like clear wood best because they need to see time stacked together. Years pressed against years, all orderly and clean. Free from obstruction or blemish. The way our own lives never are. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Death of parent, Classism, Violence, Drug use, Colonisation, and Kidnapping

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual violence, Suicide, Cancer, and Miscarriage

mandi_lea's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, War, Addiction, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Homophobia, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Violence, Ableism, Animal death, Cancer, Drug use, Terminal illness, Blood, Drug abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

hamstringy's review

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

An absolute treasure of a multi-generational book. Christie does a really good job of sticking to his chosen themes, making us care about complex characters, and keeping track of a lot of details that the characters themselves mix up

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Colonisation

Moderate: Classism, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

zombiewilhelm's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

 This book follows the Greenwood family stretching through generations, from 1908 with Everett and Harris Greenwood struggling to survive to 2034 with Jake Greenwood, a young woman trying to pay off her student debt in a world that's been ravaged by the Withering. 

I found this family saga to be equal parts interesting and horrifying. Everyone in this book has their own trauma that they are working through. PTSD stemming from the war, addiction, crushing student debt, worldwide climate crisis, the Dustbowl, a secret gay relationship during the early 19th century, etc. All of the characters are desperately searching for something in their lives. It was a pleasure to join them on their journeys even if they didn't ultimately find what they were looking for. I think the craziest part of this family saga is that most of the characters aren't actually biologically related. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction and Classism

Minor: War

feathery's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Cancer, Bullying, Blood, Animal death, Drug use, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Classism, Addiction, Medical trauma, Hate crime, Gun violence, Ableism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gore, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual content, Outing, Infertility, Vomit, Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Pregnancy, Infidelity, Excrement, Cursing, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, Outing, Miscarriage, Rape, Murder, Abortion, and Sexual violence

matadyne's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Amazing book - even enjoyed reading the most unlikable character's chapter. Breezed through it with how much I loved it. If you're into biology and stuff, super recommend but fine if you know next to nothing like me. While I would recommend this if you enjoy a minor gay romance and blind rep, but wouldn't recommend if you're looking for a racially diverse cast.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Outing, Death of parent, Death, Classism, Alcohol, Abandonment, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Addiction, and Alcoholism

Minor: War