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tigertheory's review against another edition
- 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.
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
- 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
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
gilroi'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
This book dispenses with those themes quickly and easily. People are not 'good' for their suffering. There is horror, and that is never shied away from. But its depiction is not the point. What cruelty does to someone, how it twists them inside, that's far more important. Cora is not a smiling martyr, she does not exist to make us all feel better about the present moment. She has her moments of selfishness, of unsmiling wrath, of twisted bitterness and uncharitableness. And who could blame her? Certainly not me.
This book asks: Who built America? We know who stole it, but who built it? Who put their labor into it? We know who stole the labor, but <i>who made America</i>?
People like Cora, who were never perfect, who never had any responsibility to serve as a model, whose existence is not to educate. She-- and by extension, this book-- is not here to make anyone feel better about themselves. And for that, the book made me feel, just slightly, at peace with history. Pain is not a model, so we should not rely on it to teach.
Graphic: Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Medical trauma, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal cruelty, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
whitneyonline'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
4.0
I am fully aware that the realities of slavery were completely bleak, and Cora's journey and ending with so much loss and loose ends runs very accurate to real-life accounts. But the one-two punch of the revelation about her mother's fate paired with the ending of the book shortly after is just utterly depressing. Cora deserved a resolute happy ending and we readers deserved to see it.
Graphic: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and Kidnapping
bek67's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Violence
impla77's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.25
Graphic: Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, and Torture
charlotteih's review against another edition
- 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
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
helen's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Medical trauma
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
samanthamurk's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Colonisation