Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

86 reviews

baobaebye's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

• 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

4.0

A worthy read but I wouldn't say it was entertaining 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Death of parent, and Murder

vodzak's review against another edition

It's not a bad book. I'm just really not in the correct headspace to read something this serious right now.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Slavery

Moderate: Torture

sakisreads's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

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

4.0

✨ Thrifted ✨

Wow. Far out. This was (obviously) going to be a heavy book, but I was unprepared for it 😳 The content warnings as usual will be included below.

Initially I found it difficult to get into, in the way that it was written, but once we delved into Cora’s life I found it difficult to put down. Usually multi-generational stories are challenging for me to read for some reason, but this one I was able to find the links between Ajarry, Mabel and Cora.
Cora and Royal also made me go 🥹

OBVIOUSLY we hated Ridgeway - he was fucked up. I found Mingo interesting; as someone who’d bought their freedom looking down on others felt bizarre and complicated and difficult to contend with.

4 out of 5 stars for me, thank you so much ✨

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

modryzamek's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense 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? N/A

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence

catherinemb's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

marnash's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Was highly anticipating this one. I loved the diverse cast of characters, getting to know each of them. It was a tough read, no doubt. I didn't love the writing style, sometimes seemed a little... amature. But the plot was gripping, ever-changing and twisting. It was a honest mix between hopeful and gut-wrenchingly sad, which is a good description of life and especially black lives in the slavery times, I guess.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Death of parent, and Murder

tigertheory's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

„A plantation was a plantation; one might think one’s misfortunes distinct, but the true horror lay in their universality.“

A capitivating read, especially interesting if you’re familiar with other (neo) slave narratives. Focusing purely on the reading experience I found the book a bit predictable and the style alienating from the character’s emotions and suffering - but I think it fits the narrative. The story is not indulgent in recounting the emotional and physical horrors of slavery (though they’re there, no doubt about it) but focuses more on perseverance and persistence.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

travisppe's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

bek67's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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? It's complicated

2.0

There were elements of the writing I really enjoyed. But still, I was so bored with this book. I fell asleep multiple times while reading it (atypical for me). Slavery is disgusting and repulsive. Over the years while reading books about this heavy subject (primarily historical fiction), I experienced strong emotions about the plight of the characters in the books. I did not have that reaction with this telling. I really enjoyed the idea of how the Underground Railroad functioned, but I did not feel anything toward the characters. Yes, there were many things that happened to Cora, but I never felt like I got to know Cora. The book didn't flow well for me. And that could just be my preference. Caesar I think is suppose to be one of the main characters, but then he disappears-with a follow up chapter devoted to him at a later time BEFORE they ran. There was a random chapter on Dr. Stevens and anatomy-it added nothing to the story. It did not move me like I hoped it would. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Violence

charlotteih's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

heart wrenching, tragic, sad, disgusting, humorous, beautiful. an epic portrait of the black american experience, and the complex, nuanced machine driven by white oppression. whitehead’s characters are vivid and consuming, his reflections and storytelling just the same. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism