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haleysversion's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Blood, Colonisation, Grief, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Classism, Death, Hate crime, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs
micaelamariem's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? No
3.0
From a perspective that helps one see the different culture and understand the brutal history of slavery in the Caribbean, this book is great. It really tugs at the heartstrings as you follow a mother who escapes slavery to search for her sold children. The descriptions of the landscapes are also great. However, when it came to the characters, I found them, apart from Rachel, a bit one-dimensional and like their descriptions were more “telling” than “showing.” I also was frustrated that Rachel didn’t start her quest until about 100 pages in of a 300 page book—the slow beginning made me less inclined to really immerse myself into the story. Overall it was good, but I think it could’ve been better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Colonisation, Death, Blood, Violence, Grief, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Bullying, Gore, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Alcohol
jordynkw's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Child death, Death, Blood, and Grief
beth_s0730's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse
greatlibraryofalexandra's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I valued this story a lot. The books about slavery I read are usually focused on the US, so it was good to expand my horizons here and read about the Caribbean. The writing was truly beautiful, quiet and painful. It reminded me of "Homegoing" (Gyasi) and "Roots" (Haley), though I will say I enjoyed both of those books more. I loved Rachel's determination, her journey, and her reflections on suffering one chooses and how it emboldens you, versus the suffering one is subjected to and how it wears you down. I also really valued the examination of what "freedom" really means, in both a legal sense and a larger, more ideological sense. I think we're still examining this question every day.
It feels very wrong to call a book this full of trauma and suffering "serendipitous," but to me it was at least a bit too serendipitous in that Rachel was able to either find out find out what happened to all of her children, despite hopping between islands of thousands of people. It relied a little too much on convenience and while I don't think it was necessarily a happy story or a happy ending, it was a farfetched to me that she was able to have so much closure - even if it was also a peaceful thing to read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Blood, Body horror, Colonisation, Classism, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, and Vomit
miranda_rhonda's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Slavery, and Racism
amandalorianxo's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
4.25
I felt a little bit thrown off when the plot seemed to hit the ground running and legit just have the reader be swept up in the plot right away. But once the storyline found its footing, it was smooth sailing from there. I felt myself rooting for Rachel & her search for her children.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Minor: Physical abuse
bringmybooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was an astoundingly beautiful debut novel and I can't recommend it highly enough.
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
While not shying away from any of the realities of the history (with the content warnings to match - it's beautiful, but hard to read at times), this novel still manages to uplift your soul with the way it allows you to be a part of Rachel's journey. I'm not a mother myself, but I commend Eleanor Shearer on her ability to make you feel so connected to things that you have never had to experience. Rachel's love for her children, the way she remembers them, the way she yearns for them, the way she feels guilt and love and frustration and joy and deepest heartache; you are intimately involved in these feelings with her and it made the book very strong.
The history of slavery (&especially the Emancipation Act of 1834 and how that affected those enslaved in the Caribbean) was completely unknown to me, and I thought Shearer did a really good job adding a lot of factual information in a way that felt woven throughout the story as opposed to info-dumping it.
I was especially moved with the way water and the rivers played an integral role in the story, and the complicated nature of how Rachel and those around her felt about them.
This was an emotionally resounding novel that will definitely be one I find myself recommending.
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
While not shying away from any of the realities of the history (with the content warnings to match - it's beautiful, but hard to read at times), this novel still manages to uplift your soul with the way it allows you to be a part of Rachel's journey. I'm not a mother myself, but I commend Eleanor Shearer on her ability to make you feel so connected to things that you have never had to experience. Rachel's love for her children, the way she remembers them, the way she yearns for them, the way she feels guilt and love and frustration and joy and deepest heartache; you are intimately involved in these feelings with her and it made the book very strong.
The history of slavery (&especially the Emancipation Act of 1834 and how that affected those enslaved in the Caribbean) was completely unknown to me, and I thought Shearer did a really good job adding a lot of factual information in a way that felt woven throughout the story as opposed to info-dumping it.
I was especially moved with the way water and the rivers played an integral role in the story, and the complicated nature of how Rachel and those around her felt about them.
This was an emotionally resounding novel that will definitely be one I find myself recommending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Murder, Physical abuse, Racism, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and Racial slurs
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape
mboard's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
I felt the story was very powerful and meaningful, about a woman trying to undue the wrongs done for generations to her people. I felt her physical journey to find all her children seemed to convenient and a bit under-developed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
allapaz's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
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? It's complicated
4.25
a STUNNING debut novel, oof. this did everything historical fiction is supposed to do--teach you and connect you to the past. Rachel's journey was a beautiful tribute to the history of women who had to make that same journey in history. my only critique is the pacing toward the end, I could have spent a lot more time on that last leg of the journey, a few more dead ends, lessen the suspension of disbelief a bit.
but truly, that does not take away much at all from how many times I was OVERWHELMED by FEELINGS reading this book. while I didn't cry, there were many times I had to look away from the book to yell into the void, either through happiness, sadness, overwhelm, or heartwarm. what an experience
but truly, that does not take away much at all from how many times I was OVERWHELMED by FEELINGS reading this book. while I didn't cry, there were many times I had to look away from the book to yell into the void, either through happiness, sadness, overwhelm, or heartwarm. what an experience
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Racism, Death, Child death, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Miscarriage
This book does not shy away from the brutalities of slavery, but doesn't revel in the grotesque either, if that makes sense. You won't get gratuitous descriptions of injuries or violence, but those things are happening, because that's real history.