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mmmbooqz's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
There’s an amount of trauma in this that is beautifully written, true, and painfully inescapable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts
syds_shelves's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-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? Yes
4.0
I don't see my extended family anymore. The last time I saw them was at my great great grandmother's funeral 3 years ago and before that, it had been more than ten years. This book reminded me of the best and worst of them. People can be complex and sifting through the feelings and pain isn't always clean, but with books it can be. This book reminded me of every conversation I would try and piece together through mumbles I heard through closed bedroom doors. It reminded me of every time I would be dismissed outside or to a different room so "grown folks" could talk. It reminded me of the best and the worst of the people I've loved who share blood with me and who I don't see anymore. With that, I already had a sandwich made of sympathy and tender feelings towards each character, and I didn't think it could grow until it turned into a triple-decker. I hate the limitations of this book - I want volumes and paragraphs about each of these people. I need to know that they're going to be okay. I need them to be okay. I also know that the snippets of life in this book is what makes it so special. They exist within each other's stories and in the pages, and that's it. Anything more might ruin the magic of the stories. But fuck, do I want more. I can't think of a short story collection (I don't read many for this very reason) other than Brandon Taylor's Filthy Animals that managed to pain a complete picture of characters and life for me, and Brewster was far more impactful for me than the former (and I love Brandon Taylor). I was comparing this to other "tales of misery" books - Homegoing, There, There, A little Life... I think this blows those out of the water in terms of the hopefulness. Maybe everything turns out okay. Maybe these women will still always have each other. This, unlike the others, leaves the ending open. It keeps you from the edge of truly knowing. And I think that's a kindness, even though I want more. This is so good. It is so much. I love it so much. Wow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Rape, and Panic attacks/disorders
midnightmarauder's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
The Women of Brewster Place highlights the stories of many different women who come together unintentionally due to their shared grief over the things they've gone through in their lives.
There's Mattie Michael: a woman who had a baby out of wedlock and thought she could raise him well on love alone. He ends upkilling a man in a bar, forcing Mattie to put up her house as collateral for his bail, and he jumps bail, leaving her high and dry.
Then Etta Mae Johnson: Mattie's best friend who has only ever known how touse a man for all he's got, and when he can't give her anymore, he's gone. She soon realizes that living this type of life causes her pain; no matter how hard she tries to ignore that fact.
Following, Kiswana: a radical woman who fully embraces her black heritage and moves to Brewster Place for the purpose of finding the community she feels she lacked growing up.
Cora Lee: a lover of babies since childhood, whose obsession gets a bit too large and causes her tohave eight children by the end of the book .
And finally, Theresa and Lorraine: a lesbian couple who often fight about whether or not they're different from everyone else, solely on the count of their sexuality.
All of these women come from backgrounds that are not nearly similar to each other. But, they all come to Brewster Place to run, essentially, from the issues of their past. It is seen as a clean slate from the beatings, trauma, and pain that they experienced in those times.
Each story fits together like a puzzle piece as you read along, and I personally found myself captivated by these women's strengths. It gives a reminder that pain can often bring people together, and that isn't always in a bad way.
There's Mattie Michael: a woman who had a baby out of wedlock and thought she could raise him well on love alone. He ends up
Then Etta Mae Johnson: Mattie's best friend who has only ever known how to
Following, Kiswana: a radical woman who fully embraces her black heritage and moves to Brewster Place for the purpose of finding the community she feels she lacked growing up.
Cora Lee: a lover of babies since childhood, whose obsession gets a bit too large and causes her to
And finally, Theresa and Lorraine: a lesbian couple who often fight about whether or not they're different from everyone else, solely on the count of their sexuality.
All of these women come from backgrounds that are not nearly similar to each other. But, they all come to Brewster Place to run, essentially, from the issues of their past. It is seen as a clean slate from the beatings, trauma, and pain that they experienced in those times.
Each story fits together like a puzzle piece as you read along, and I personally found myself captivated by these women's strengths. It gives a reminder that pain can often bring people together, and that isn't always in a bad way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Grief, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, Abortion, Child death, and Religious bigotry
darkanddreary's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Sexism, Physical abuse, and Racism
tictactoney's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Gorgeous writing. The first story - Mattie's - was hands down my favorite.
The ending is hard. It hurts. Characters are growing and the community is beginning to thrive and then....it's all horrifically violated.
The ending is hard. It hurts. Characters are growing and the community is beginning to thrive and then....it's all horrifically violated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
atamano's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, and Child death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, and Abandonment
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