Reviews tagging 'Abortion'

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray

106 reviews

bambifaun's review

sad slow-paced

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

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion

cptnstphy's review

emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.25

This was a nuanced window into a challenging time period. Neat to learn about Belle De La Costa Greene and the art that fascinated her. I found it a bit slow and repetitive (sometimes it felt like every other chapter ended with a similar line repeating her name and a question of whether someone would find out). 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Pregnancy, Grief, Abortion, Death, Hate crime, Antisemitism, Medical trauma, and Sexual content

Minor: War

sammerp219's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion

gris_zorra's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing tense fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Abortion, Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, and Infidelity

Minor: Xenophobia, War, and Racial slurs

dev921's review against another edition

dark informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Colonisation, War, Classism, Slavery, Racism, Sexual content, Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Grief, Hate crime, and Medical content

arcookson's review

reflective slow-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion

Minor: Antisemitism and Racism

fromsarahsbooknook's review

I thought the writing style was overly simplistic and told me so much without showing much of anything. I thought the character of Belle Greene was woefully under-developed. I mean, who is she as a person? Yes, she was a Black woman in the early 1900s passing as white. Yes, she rose to prominence and was very good at her job. But WHO is she? And I get that the authors would have needed to take some liberties there to form her character richly, possibly departing from the actual Belle Greene, but it is *fiction* and I would have preferred that. As it is, I found all the characters to be flat and boring and I had no feeling of connection with any of them. Most of the time I kept thinking that maybe I should find a biography of Belle Greene to read instead.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion

krstn13's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Great historical fiction

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Antisemitism and Abortion

angelaf's review

informative 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

Wow! The Personal Librarian and Belle da Costa Greene, the historical figure portrayed in the book, are incredible. During her life, Greene not only acted as the personal librarian to J.P Morgan but also as an art historian, antiquarian, and art dealer as they amassed an incredible library. After Morgan's death, Greene worked with Morgan's son to open the library to the public. Throughout and at great personal cost, Greene harbored the secret that she was passing for white. Reading The Personal Librarian makes me want to learn more about Belle da Costa Greene and visit the Morgan Library. Read if you enjoy: strong women, Gilded Age stories, art history, books about books

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion

lportilla's review

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

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Racism, and Abortion