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safiirecoven's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
aethenea's review
4.0
This was a required reading for my African-American literature class. I usually don't enjoy reading books that our teachers want us to read but this one was really good. I really appreciated Dessa's story - it was a story of love mixed with the horrors of slavery. This book made me feel a lot of things and when a book does that you can be sure it is a good one.
megatsunami's review
4.0
3.5 stars. Early chapters were a little choppy with confusing changes of voice, but once things got moving, this was a thought-provoking and intriguing read about different possibilities for black-white relationships even in the time of slavery.
suspendedinair's review
2.0
Adam Nehemiah is an asshole! A man "who had never owned a slave--nor wished to--" yet is compelled to take the slaves' words and twist them into all sorts of inaccuracies as he writes a self-promoting guide on how to raise slaves. This story isa plantation, above-the-sea equivalent of Ursula and Ariel. Williams creates a complex character whose victory we want to share in Dessa, and for that alone this novel is worth reading.
drkew's review
5.0
Loved the novel. I can't believe that I waited so long to discover and read it. I might think about assigning it in my American Slavery course or my History and Memory course. Even if I don't assign the novel, I will definitely cherish the powerful story and the beautiful writing.
peachani's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Confinement, Trafficking, Pregnancy, and Death
Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual content, and Violence
teariffic's review
4.0
This book was moving and interesting. I admired the writing style and also deeply appreciated the focus on female main characters. (The emphasis on the treatment of women of all races by white men was intriguing.) The three sections of the book all have a different tone; I was extremely surprised when Odessa was revealed to be so young in the second section of the book, as the first section gave me a mental image of a middle aged woman. I found the presentation of the relationship between Odessa and Rufel to be interesting - I personally felt that Rufel did not necessarily deserve the postscript describing her kindness. However, I admired Odessa individually greatly. Moreover, the skillfulness with which the author switched between different points of view while still focusing on Odessa was impressive.
rozz's review
dark
emotional
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? No
4.0
lmcintosh08's review
3.0
An entertaining but somewhat predictable story about the friendship of a black woman and a white woman living in the South.