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nancymking's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
_kimb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Blood, and Pregnancy
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Alcohol
andprevatte'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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Grief, and Pregnancy
merle98'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
hodgeonlucy'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? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, and Pregnancy
deedireads'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? It's complicated
5.0
“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.”
I’ve been looking forward to reading Beloved since I started my project of reading all of Toni Morrison’s fiction (in order) earlier this year. It’s “the big one” — the one that won the Pulitzer and led her to win the Nobel Prize. I was obviously not disappointed. Incredible.
While the story is wholly original and not meant to be a retelling, Beloved was inspired by the story of an escaped enslaved woman named Margaret Garner, who killed her 2-year-old daughter to spare her from capture when slave hunters eventually found them. In Beloved, the house of the main character, Sethe, is haunted by the actual ghost of the daughter she killed. The book overall is about what it means to be free, how slavery impacts identity and memory, the impacts of community, and whether it is safe to love even if it means getting hurt.
Morrison draws you in and forces you to not to look away like pretty much nobody else who has ever lived. This book is raw and scathing and pulses like the open wound it means to expose.
I’ve said this with pretty much every Morrison novel I’ve read so far, but I can’t imagine reading this one without listening along to the audiobook at the same time. Morrison herself reads it, and her narration style is just as unique and breathtaking as her writing. It adds a whole layer of experience and meaning. Please listen to it.
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Murder, and Pregnancy
carolinalopes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
Graphic: Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Pregnancy
kylieqrada'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? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Pregnancy
karingforbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I didn’t love the writing itself, though it’s well written, just not my style. Too repetitive, both in language and general plot points, especially toward the end. I liked all the motifs and how she wore them in. Don’t particularly care for the characters. Timelines were warped and that was confusing though about 2/3 through, you do get the full picture. Solid, but won’t ever be a favorite for me
Graphic: Slavery and Blood
Moderate: Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Rape, Grief, Murder, and Pregnancy