Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Sugar by Bernice L. McFadden

10 reviews

jordynkw's review

dark emotional reflective tense 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Racism, Child death, Grief, Hate crime, Rape, Murder, Trafficking, and Violence

my_a's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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

5.0

Beautiful writing and touching characters. The story and writing has not aged a day. I was shock when i saw its 23 years old! Some chapters were heartbreaking and uncomfortable to read. 

But I did often find it hard to follow the quick changes in timelines as they were very sudden and unclear.

I had no expectations when i started reading but wow I loved this book, really beautiful writing. I'm looking forward to reading the 2nd Suga Lacey book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Misogyny, Grief, Death, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence, Racism, Child death, and Child abuse

Minor: Infidelity

jennikreads's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Grief, Bullying, Child death, Death, and Murder

moniipeters's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Child abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Child death, Sexual harassment, and Murder

thegirlfromthemoon's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, and Grief

tentenwinszer0's review

dark emotional sad slow-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

books_plus_brownies's review

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Racism, Physical abuse, Grief, and Death

joanaprneves's review

dark emotional inspiring sad 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? Yes

3.75

The book is well written and doesn’t give in to a virtuoso handling of misery and grief. It allows for the reader to learn about the most terrible events with a certain directedness that is not sensationalist.
That is why the ending disappointed me, but also the

fact that the reason why the Christian woman (Pearl) and later her husband Joe too, befriend the prostitute (Sugar) is more related to kin than to generosity of spirit. Rather than opening up the characters to a real Christian sense of humanity (or simply humanism), the book becomes a cliché of a lost daughter ending up in the arms (for a while at least) of her long lost father and substitute mother. Joe is described as an independent man, who doesn’t yield to gossip or toxic masculinity so the hardly credible plot twist of Sugar being his daughter undermines the sparkle of humanity to book seemed to build within a small community. 
There was such a good opportunity, if one had to keep the topic of parenthood, to explore parental projections against pure acceptance and care: because they don’t know that Joe is the father, the couple who take Sugar into their homes as almost an adoptive daughter let her be who she is, although trying to steer her away from prostitution. 
There are very strong moments, but they often feel like driftwood floating at the surface of things: Pearl discovering her body, her beauty, could be such an intimate and profound moment but it just “brings her back” as if things were that simple.
Nevertheless, the impeccable style of the book and the originality of the characters, despite what I mentioned make for a good read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Sexual content

edenangus's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, and Grief

Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism

Minor: Drug use

books_baking_brews's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Sugar by Bernice L McFadden

Synopsis:  Set in 1950s Arkansas, Sugar tells the tell of the unlikely friendship which forms between young prostitute Sugar Lacey and grieving mother Pearl Taylor.  When Sugar moves next door to Pearl, she immediately scandalizes the town sitting naked in her front room and receiving clients into her home.  But Pearl and Sugar are drawn to each, and both are still very much dealing with their traumatic pasts.

I had been looking into McFadden’s catalog ever since reading A Praise Song for the Butterflies.  So when I had the chance to read Sugar, I jumped at it, and I was not disappointed.  Definitely in my top 10 reads of last year.  I loved McFadden’s development and treatment of both women, the way she handled the racism prevalent at that time, and how small towns can sometimes be too insular if you don't fit the mold.  I was sad to leave the two friends at the end, but then I discovered there was a part 2 to Sugar’s story, and I immediately ordered it.  I can’t wait to dive into This Bitter Earth next!  Five stars from me and would recommend.  

CW:  child abuse, death of a child, racism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, and Child abuse