Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Ann Jacobs

30 reviews

val_lenci's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

This title brought me to tears. There were moments when I had to take a mental break due to the description of the atrocities that happened to predominately Black women during this sinful period. Strong emotions held by desperation was expressed in every chapter. Her story thankfully ended on a satisfying note. It left me feeling strong; as in no matter how battling life can get, faith can still be found. (Hope I explained this correctly.) It is extremely advised to want to mentally prepare yourself before reading this book, especially if you identify as a black woman. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Ableism, Abortion, Animal death, Cursing, Death of parent, Deportation, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Confinement, Hate crime, Infertility, Mass/school shootings, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Stalking, Antisemitism, Body horror, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Vomit, War, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Child death, Dysphoria, Genocide, Incest, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Trafficking, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Abandonment

kaetheluise_nckl's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative tense fast-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Racial slurs, Racism, and Trafficking

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Cursing, and Child death

Minor: Alcohol and Pregnancy

emilo's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, and Colonisation

emdear's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Racism, Violence, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Death, Slavery, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, and Child abuse

jaymepem's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Sexism

Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: Child death, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol

leslie_overbookedsocialworker's review against another edition

informative sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, and Hate crime

monapearl's review against another edition

emotional informative

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

xjr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

I recommend the Oxford edition for informative annotations, some essays and some writings of Harriet's brother. 

The pace of the book is brisk and easy, unlike its content and my actual reading pace. 

This biographical fiction story contains many slave narrative tropes, but brings new light too. More introspection, a look into the sexual abuse of both men and women, a critical look into religion and the complications of being a mixed black woman with children. In all this darkness we still see hope for Linda doesn't only meet the worst of the worst but also some great people.

I see some claim that her editor L. Maria Child influences the story, but if Jacobs wasn't clever enough to write this I don't think she would have even been able to reach freedom like she did. I think the claim the text is only trimmed by her holds true.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Slavery

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault

antonique_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Child death, Sexual assault, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Murder, Pregnancy, Slavery, Sexual violence, Rape, Racism, and Trafficking

tyrannosaurus_lex's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

This book should be required reading when teaching American history in schools. 

A straightforward, heart wrenching account of one person’s lifelong attempt to escape the horrors of slavery, and the continued prejudices she encountered beyond. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Violence, and Torture