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sprainedbrain's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.0
ireanirean's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kitsuneheart's review against another edition
4.0
I blasted through this audiobook in one afternoon. But it wasn't exactly a comfortable afternoon. But not in a bad way. In a "well, this is realistic and realism is terrifying" way.
I was particularly interested in what I'm pretty sure is the longest story in the collection (hard to tell, with audio), "Sweet on the Tongue." The story of a courtship, a life shattering, and three lives being put back together. For all the horror of the middle of the story, it ends on such an ideal, caring note.
You can't just think of this as a quick read. Even if, like me, you listen to it in one session, it's going to stick with you.
I was particularly interested in what I'm pretty sure is the longest story in the collection (hard to tell, with audio), "Sweet on the Tongue." The story of a courtship, a life shattering, and three lives being put back together. For all the horror of the middle of the story, it ends on such an ideal, caring note.
You can't just think of this as a quick read. Even if, like me, you listen to it in one session, it's going to stick with you.
princesspersephone's review against another edition
5.0
I have been known to say "Everything by Roxane Gay" in response to people looking for book recommendations. This being her first work to be officially published, I was curious to see if it still lived up to her hype. After reading it, I can see how this was the catalyst for her fated rise to literary fame. These stories have stuck with me. Even after finishing the book a week ago, I still find myself thinking about some of the characters - hoping they find their peace in the places beyond the story, and hoping their choices and memories do not sour with time. Very few authors are able to fit such impactful stories in such a small power-packed punch, but Roxane does it seemingly with ease. Each story their own world, but each one a connected part of history, culture, family, and love.
cheap_and_cheerful's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
4.0
alisonburnis's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
This little collection of stories about the Haitian diaspora is fresh and interesting, though not always a slam dunk. Gay’s writing is beautiful and she does incredible things with setting scenes, though she sometimes goes too far with being spare in her scenes and so they don’t have the impact they could have had. But this is a really lovely collection, spanning all kinds of experiences and memories, and really gets into the beauty and pain of loving, leaving, and struggling.
humblej's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0