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bt_wannabe's review
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
A mix of historical fiction and contemporary fiction with some supernatural elements, this story weaves together the stories of multiple generations; highlighting the impact of both generational trauma and strength. The use of multiple POVs was an effective tool in telling this story. While I do think there are characters and storylines that could’ve been fleshed out a bit better to make this read more rich and satisfying, I also feel that some connections were intentionally not explicitly laid out in order to make the reader think and reflect. Overall, it’s definitely worth your time and will leave you thinking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Infertility and Murder
Minor: Miscarriage
beetandbaguette's review
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
javafenn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? No
3.5
It took me a few days to write a review because this book was very emotional and I needed to clarify my thoughts. The story is told from 3 different timelines involving 2 different women basically sewing together how the past affects the future generations. The realities of slavery and post slavery was tough but the horrors of slavery and all the racism that followed are real and tough. The story itself was amazing. I enjoyed the magical aspect of it and I really loved how strong Josephine and Ava truly were despite not exactly knowing it at first. Both had sons that were facing a scary world for Black men and both had passions for healing. At the end of the book Josephine suffers a horrific and graphic loss shortly after gaining a new grandchild. I needed a few minutes to continue on from that point because there wasn’t much left in the book. I was shattered when it happened. I almost felt it was unnecessary but things like that happened and I’m not one to say how racism against Black people should be displayed in a book written by a Black person. That combined with the fact that the story got a bit confusing around 2/3 of the way through is why this is 3.5 stars. It’s definitely a good book and the narrators are great but it is heavy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcohol and Classism
nicoleisalwaysreading's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I really enjoyed the way this read like a ghost story or a thriller with supernatural elements. I was starting to get scared for what Ava would find lurking in Martha or in her house (there were hints of actual possession, and in way, I do think Wilkerson Sexton was saying that racism is a demonic possession), and the build-up to the two key points in Josephine's story was captivating. This book was structured in an interesting and smart way. I will say, I felt like I wanted more scenes to fully play out, such as the supernatural linkage between Josephine-Gladys-Ava, more clear explanations of the Revisioners and the extent of their gifts, and how Josephine made her way to freedom as a child/with Jupiter. I have really been trying to figure out how exactly I feel about open endings, and this one was another to add to my recent list.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Blood
surefinewhatever_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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? No
5.0
A book hasn’t made me feel this way in a long time. I completely sobbed through the final few chapters. Wow wow wow, what a beautifully woven story. Excellent storytelling, and the sense of foreboding made this book impossible to put down. So so good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Dementia, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Miscarriage
franklybookish's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Infertility, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Murder