Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

152 reviews

orion's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Blood, Child death, Police brutality, Racism, Ableism, Bullying, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Violence, Emotional abuse, Murder, Rape, Self harm, War, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, Grief, Medical content, Torture, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death of parent and Cursing

janaeq's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Trigger Warning: This book does contain abuse of every form
Slight Spoilers in this review 
A gut-wrenching and heartbreaking tale about ancestral labor. There are other readers critiquing the book for not having a plot that is driven by the main character. I will say that the plot is not the reason the book is award-winning, but rather the story is not meant to be centered around a stereotypical sci-fi dystopian novel of overturning an oppressive ruler. There are several reasons why this book is five stars regardless of a "slow plot". 
1. This story is very clearly a critique on American racial castes, but if one were to dig beneath the obvious parallels between chattel slavery; you could find a more nuanced discussion besides whites bad, Enslaved "good". This novel humanizes the ghosts of the enslaved. They are active participants within the story and act as ancestral/spiritual guides despite being characterized by viewed through Aster's literal and scientific perspective. 
2. I would argue that the although there is the obvious man vs society struggle, the plot is not about Aster overthrowing Matilda and Lieutenant. From the beginning of the book I did not expect for a clear resolution. As this book's primary parallel is the struggle of freedom for Black Americans and the Black Diaspora (mimicked by the different cultures, languages and vegetation of the Decks), I don't expect Solomon to try to answer the question of Black Freedom which would mean a cut and dry happily ever after (the case for most white dystopian novels). I felt that the ending UKG although heartbreaking was entirely earned and even expected. If relating this book to current realities and issues of Black struggles, I don't feel it was Solomon's intention to give their commentary on how the Enslaved and disenfranchised reach freedom, but rather to illuminate those whose labor and sacrifice have been discounted and ignored on the journey there. That is to say, do not read this book for the ending, read this book for the journey. 
3. Taking into consideration my previous point, Aster may be the main character but the story is really about Giselle, Lune and even Museline. Their knowing and intentional sacrifice drive the plot despite Asters sometimes haughty dismissal of Lune and Giselle as mad/crazy (although justified). I would argue that this book is a testimony to survival, labor and sacrifice of those behind us and beside us. Ancestral admiration and kinship is the basis of this book. If you do not have an understanding on the importance of ancestral and kinship ties to the Black community, it would make sense why the ending might seem disappointing, unearned or slow. 
4. Simply put, the conversation on the Black Body and what that means for the black gender identity is unmatched. 

The violence of the book is merely the reality of brutal and gendered enslavement. It is a heavy read, but definitely worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Slavery, Racism, and Sexual violence

booksthatburn's review against another edition

I love so much about this book, I just couldn't handle a particular topic that's triggering for me when I was already stressed (mostly in good ways) by the story so far. The worldbuilding is very cool, paying attention to language and tiny cultural differences existing between the decks. The audiobook performance is good. I like Aster as a main character.

I really wish I could handle finishing this, but I just can't.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, Racism, Slavery, Police brutality, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Ableism, Homophobia, Cursing, Abortion, Mental illness, Blood, Infertility, Child abuse, and Cancer

Minor: Transphobia, Dementia, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Death of parent, Self harm, and Fire/Fire injury

nagev's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Homophobia, Abortion, Classism, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, and Confinement

Moderate: Pregnancy, Police brutality, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Bullying, Chronic illness, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Blood, Abandonment, Torture, Transphobia, Rape, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Vomit, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Misogyny, Medical content, Lesbophobia, and Grief

Minor: Ableism, Child abuse, and Alcohol

rmperezpadilla's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racial slurs, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Self harm, Slavery, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Child death, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Racism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Lesbophobia, and Abortion

Moderate: Rape and Death of parent

peachani's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Classism, Genocide, Physical abuse, Violence, Bullying, Transphobia, Death, Lesbophobia, and Police brutality

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Genocide, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Chronic illness, and Confinement

Minor: Dysphoria, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Torture, Ableism, Death of parent, Gore, Infertility, Medical trauma, War, Child abuse, and Slavery

sarah_bookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.0

I really enjoyed this, but not sure I can remember much of the plot points. The characters are fascinating, and the generation slave ship setting is tangible in its descriptions. I would love to read more of these characters and this setting, and was devastated to find it was a stand alone!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Slavery

Moderate: War, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

struedandspaetz's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

** spoiler alert ** I really enjoyed the main character in this book...she was atypical in so many regards. I appreciated that she read as a neurodiverse character and that her gender was irrelevant except when it was weaponized against her.

The story itself was haunting and imagines a bleak world where slavery is instituted on a spacecraft. The experiences the "lower class" had were nightmarish but very mellowed-down versions of what was forced on enslaved individuals in the past.

The book was confusing at times, which is why the rating is a three for me. There were elements of it that didn't feel necessary and didn't add to the story. Some aspects of Theo felt conflicting and some details about him felt unnecessary (like the whole tidbit with him flogging himself...what was the purpose of that?)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, and Slavery

All the elements were important aspects of the story and are important elements that are not as intense as they were in the very real historical past.

bdingz's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.5

The further I got into this book, the more the story pulled me in. It’s hard to believe this is Solomon’s debut novel—it reads like it was written by a well-seasoned novelist.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Abortion

sofipitch's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.75

Nothing I say could do this book justice, it's endlessly creative and complex. Truly in awe, the only reason this isn't 5 stars is one small bit that triggered my phobia but that's it, literally my only complaint.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Slavery, Mental illness, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Trafficking, Police brutality, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, Abortion, Classism, Death of parent, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Ableism, and Suicide