Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow

165 reviews

anna_rubin's review

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Police brutality, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Violence, War, Sexual assault, Racism, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Murder, and Gun violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Death, and Misogyny

lilo000's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

Some beautiful description. Took me a minute to realize the connection between the two stories. Also took me a minute to  wrap my head around jumping time periods with each chapter but I got the hang of it eventually. I'm guessing the acknowledgements were narrated by the author - definitely made them that much more powerful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, Rape, Racism, Sexual violence, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Death of parent, Hate crime, Gun violence, Death, War, Grief, and Cursing

Minor: Sexism, Murder, Medical content, and Pregnancy

dcbooklove's review

emotional sad 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Murder, Gun violence, Racism, Incest, and Grief

agnela's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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

4.0

Empowering, healing, female centric with cozy desmiticy. But. I absolutely do not agree with one of the themes of this book. Aggressors, violence perpetrators do not get or need to be emphasised with, they do not get to tell their sad stories why they end up doing what they do. Women in this story had it bad, but they did not end up tormenting or abusing people. And yet somehow the only good man in this book ends up being a dead grandfather.
I loved this matriarchal family, it's dynamics, uhh, I loved it so much. There were also trauma, racism, abuse, and yet this is a healing story rather than just telling the reader about an open wound and deepening it more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, War, Death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Racism, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

nikniknik's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? No

4.5

Heavy. Powerful. 

I left this book wanting to cry - in happiness, in sorrow, in grief, in hope - none, both, all of the above. 

Ms Stringfellow's prose is artfully composed. The words flow like a poem - or maybe even music. And the stories woven within are like a time machine, taking me - to Memphis, to the Civil Rights movement, to 9/11, and beyond, and before, and everything in between.

I picked up and put down this story a few times, not lacking for quality, but because I was not ready to handle the story being told.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Hate crime, and Racism

amber_aldridge's review

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Racism

emmybe's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

A riveting saga. There is tragedy here, at times painful to read, but love and resilience too. Beautifully written. 

I understand Stringfellow is at work on a follow up to Memphis. Whatever it contains, I will devour it like upon its release like I would one of Miriam’s pies. While I would love more about the formidable North women, I also hope to hear Miss. Dawn’s stories. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Incest, and Racism

felixmarauder's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

Memphis was poignant, engaging, and an insightful micro look at 3 matriarchal generations in North Memphis. Stringfellow did an amazing job drawing a clear picture of these characters' lives, struggles, triumphs, and connections. I couldn't put it down and am eagerly awaiting her next work.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Gun violence

abimyers_reads's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Cursing, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Racism, and Rape

destphoenix's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

Incredibly hard but beautiful read. The power of family shining through all the trauma and circumstance. A story of love and loss and Memphis (which I appreciated now that I live here and could recognize streets and buildings mentioned) that spans three generations that I found truly beautiful. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Gun violence, and Domestic abuse