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kshertz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Genocide, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Violence, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, and Racial slurs
ayannasarah's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Racism, Sexual assault, and Slavery
kaaris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Slavery, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Death
maevebm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
risk of some characters not connecting with the reader. I found myself only interested in a few characters and stories. which made the majority of the book a bit of a chore to read. I will say Jones has an incredible way of using language to create beautiful
imagery and voices. Although at times, I found it a bit pompous and over-the-top.
I think it's worth reading this novel because it does tell a moving
story about people and love and hatred and humanity.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Slavery, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Racial slurs, Murder, Racism, Rape, and Violence
ilarian's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Rape and Racism
emilyjeanne's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Rape, Slavery, Racial slurs, and Racism
rcampbell's review
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Racism, Murder, and Violence
theskyboi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Part of the pacing comes from the emotional weight of assessing the relationship we have to past cultures erased and exploited in the name of greed and power. Part of the pacing comes from the lyrical prose and poetry that Robert Jones Jr. expertly crafted on the pages of his debut novel. As an author, he utilizes each character's voice for the purposes of an emotional about-face between terror and tenderness.
I absolutely consider this book an essential addition to my shelf, and I feel enriched after having delved into the world of these forbidden lovers. However, the brutality of slavery cannot be ignored, so I present a brief notice to readers who know themselves to be sensitive in regard to such acts of violence.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Violence, Slavery, Outing, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Rape, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Racism
Moderate: Miscarriage
marcellaandherbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Let me start by saying this book is phenomenal, it has been quit some time since I read a debut novel this strong.
It is the story of life on a cotton plantation in Mississippi. The book switches perspective in each chapter, from both the enslaved people and the plantation owners, aswell as some chapters told from past tribes in Africa and greek chorus style chapters from the ancestors. All these voices however, pivot around two men in love, Samuel and Isaiah. The book is about their relationship and how they find love and comfort in eachother whilest tensions on the plantation reach a crescendo.
This isn't an easy book. One, for its subject matter. It comes with the content warnings you might expect from a book dealing with slavery. But it also isn't a straightforward story. It switches around from different perspectives, it jumps back and forth in time, and the writing, whilest beautiful and lyrical, also uses a lot of similes and metaphors. It's a book that takes a bit more effort and concentration to read in my opinion, but I promise it pays off.
It is a weighted book, weighted with history and wisdom and trauma and sadness of generations of enslaved people. And at the same time it has notes of lightness and love and hope in the story of Samuel and Isaiah. Painful and soothing at the same time.
There is so many layers to unpack in this story, I feel like I've only scratched the surface in my first read, so I have an inkling I will be returning to this book in the future.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault
jesshindes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Jones never shies away from the brutality and inhumanity of slavery, which meant that this was hard going in places; but he leavens the novel with language that is always thoughtful and often beautiful, and the narrative offers moments of peace, hope, and even triumph amongst the general misery of Elizabeth Plantation. Without spoiling too much, I loved the magical threads that wove through this story, which serve as a connection back to Africa and can be read as a way of maintaining humanity and power in a setting designed to deprive its inhabitants of both - without ever minimising or skirting the real horrors that are being described. 'The Prophets' is not a light read but it is a very good one.
Graphic: Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual assault, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Torture, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Murder, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Mental illness and Homophobia