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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
This book gave a another perspective on how I think about me as an individual and me as a part of the collective.
I may return to this later, it just wasn’t immediately interesting and I have other books I want to read first
Years ago I read the Giver and I did not like it one bit. This book is reminiscent of the Giver in its concept of one person holding onto the suffering of the history of the people, so that the history would not be lost but would not burden them. It was a beautifully and poetically written and the concept was very interesting.
Why 4 stars? I liked how it combined mythology with real historical events and translated them into folklore. The writing was great, but I just didn't love this book. I'm glad I read it and it definitely made me pause and think to try to understand the book and its message. I found the Preface very helpful in putting this book into context and clarifying some of the larger themes. But I was confused and pulled out of the story by small things like who was speaking and how Yetu went from one scenario to another.
Why 4 stars? I liked how it combined mythology with real historical events and translated them into folklore. The writing was great, but I just didn't love this book. I'm glad I read it and it definitely made me pause and think to try to understand the book and its message. I found the Preface very helpful in putting this book into context and clarifying some of the larger themes. But I was confused and pulled out of the story by small things like who was speaking and how Yetu went from one scenario to another.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
definitely more of a 3.5 stars. this concept is so unique and so different from anything i've ever read, which is most of the reason i enjoyed it. it covers topics from intergenerational trauma to why history is so important in less than 200 pages, and really leaves you thinking. the writing style is very atmospheric, but less of the narrative style that i'm used to reading. i think the length worked for what we got, but i also think it could have benefited from even an extra 100 pages and expanded these heavy topics a bit more
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
Such an incredible, unique book about the water breathing descendants of slaves. Really powerful.
I especially loved this concept…the ideas of trauma, memories, community and identity were explored really eloquently in this underwater world.
I especially loved this concept…the ideas of trauma, memories, community and identity were explored really eloquently in this underwater world.