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lou_mac's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
It was also fascinating to see a magic lens on slavery and the underground railway - and I think this book balanced the complexity and nuances of the underground operation beautifully.
Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, and Violence
Moderate: Death
saoirsem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Slavery, and Racism
corngod31's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Confinement, Physical abuse, Racism, Murder, Rape, Racial slurs, Slavery, Grief, Death, and Colonisation
vedpears's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Kidnapping, Police brutality, Murder, Death, Racism, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Trafficking
Moderate: Sexual assault, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Death of parent, Cursing, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Gun violence
Minor: Gore
readbycarina'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? No
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Racism, Violence, Slavery, Grief, Physical abuse, Confinement, Rape, Child death, and Torture
Moderate: Colonisation, Suicide, Racial slurs, Death, Stalking, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity and Pregnancy
schausjk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
That being said, I did very much enjoy the magical realism aspect of the book once it became fully fleshed out in the latter portion of the book. It would have been nice to have seen that more gradually and thoughtfully woven in throughout the story, as much of the story felt far removed from it. I've seen some reviewers suggest that the magical realism portion could have been removed entirely to make the story more cohesive, but I disagree as I found it to be the most compelling part of the novel.
Overall I'm very glad I stuck with this one. I do plan on reading more of Coates' nonfiction work, as his writing style does seem well-suited to that type of writing.
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Torture, Confinement, Rape, Racial slurs, and Violence
rai's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Body horror, Genocide, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, War, Confinement, Death, Murder, Police brutality, and Violence
porterpa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Racial slurs and Slavery
Minor: Violence
cbaker'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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Racial slurs, Slavery, Racism, and Classism
liesbethvv's review against another edition
- 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
I was completely surprised by the magical realism in this story and it took me a while to get used to it. Once I was on board with the concept of
Graphic: Violence and Slavery
Moderate: Torture, Racism, Racial slurs, and Grief
Minor: Sexual violence, Death of parent, Murder, Vomit, Pregnancy, Sexism, Confinement, and Abandonment