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missmelia's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- 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? No
4.25
megangraff's review against another edition
4.0
I had heard of this book and wanted to read it at some point but then I attended an online event with the author last week. The book did not disappoint.
jgale266's review
relaxing
slow-paced
- 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? No
3.5
viridiantre's review against another edition
4.0
leave the man alone he just wants to be a dentist and meet his boyfriend again
that cover goes incredibly hard
that cover goes incredibly hard
gareth_beniston's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
A bit hard to judge. Read over Ski trip, continually falling asleep! Hallucinatory and capturing a worker's moment in time.
roses_are_read's review against another edition
3.0
This is slice of life 1920s historical fiction centered on a Black, gay, immigrant who works as a porter and dreams of attending dentistry school. Aside from the sound historical elements (focusing on the exploitative and dehumanizing job of a porter and it's arbitrary, unfair, and punitive demerit system which was largely influenced by white passengers), I was left wanting more. This is a character-driven novel yet inner lives were not explored. I felt as I was sitting on the surface - a mere observer much like that of a train passenger. Perhaps this was intended as the success of a porter is directly tied to external appearance and automaton behavior?
"Teeth make so much more sense than people. When teeth trouble you, you extract them."
"Teeth make so much more sense than people. When teeth trouble you, you extract them."
jebby33's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
3.75
vickileigh00's review
reflective
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? No
4.0
mahaila's review against another edition
5.0
This is one I know I want to come back to and reread, there are so many vivid details and the language is very well crafted.
sandiet's review
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
A disappointing first read for 2024. The novel was the winner of the 2023 Giller Prize award. It was the first LGBTQ themed novel, written by an LGBTQ writer ever to win the Giller. Great accolades for the book but it simply didn't appeal to me.
The Sleeping Car Porter, is about a sleep deprived gay Black man working as a railway porter in the late 1920's. Baxter is trying to save money for dentistry school and works the rails tirelessly to attain his goal. Work options for Black men at that time were non-existent and they had to endure terrible conditions to keep their jobs. Baxter also had to hide his sexuality from his coworkers, employer and of course the travellers. I think a lot more could have been done with this story. It was supposed to be about Baxter, but I found too much of the novel as was about the passengers. Perhaps the author was hoping we'd feel Baxter's invisibility if we didn't really know enough about him?
I listened to the audio version and the narration was stilted and choppy. I might have enjoyed the print version more but I doubt it would have changed my view.
The Sleeping Car Porter, is about a sleep deprived gay Black man working as a railway porter in the late 1920's. Baxter is trying to save money for dentistry school and works the rails tirelessly to attain his goal. Work options for Black men at that time were non-existent and they had to endure terrible conditions to keep their jobs. Baxter also had to hide his sexuality from his coworkers, employer and of course the travellers. I think a lot more could have been done with this story. It was supposed to be about Baxter, but I found too much of the novel as was about the passengers. Perhaps the author was hoping we'd feel Baxter's invisibility if we didn't really know enough about him?
I listened to the audio version and the narration was stilted and choppy. I might have enjoyed the print version more but I doubt it would have changed my view.