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trishsmelody'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Racial slurs and Sexual assault
Moderate: Grief and Death
emmakrof's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
One thing I really loved about this book was the way the author portrayed the dynamics between the Jewish, black, and white community members. He depicts the different concepts of self, life goals, allegiances, and tensions community members create (and the ideas they create about others) in order to coexist. Everyone has a complicated relationship with everyone else, both inter- and intra-racial. It felt very detailed and very human.
But I found a few of the characters kind of one-dimensional. In particular, I had complicated feelings about Chona. Chona is a Jewish woman who is beloved by all in the community. She rebukes racism, rebukes antisemitism, rebukes misogyny, rebukes gender roles, rebukes ableism. She is not afraid to speak her mind and do what she believes is right. She spends her life running a grocery store at a loss and giving food away for free to help alleviate structural poverty.
Doubtlessly, Chona is a great person, and I enjoyed her role in the story!! But I am conflicted about how to feel about her. Her colorblind, abilityblind anyone-is-capable-of-everything approach to life feels naive; but at the same time, she is closer to the “truth” than many of the other characters in this book!
While I enjoyed the plot, I felt the ending was rushed. I would’ve liked to hear more about Dodo
My final gripe is that the author includes a seemingly random rant about how cellphones are ruining our lives?? The timing of this rant was bizarre
Graphic: Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Antisemitism, Death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Violence, Grief, Rape, Hate crime, Infertility, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Racism, and Terminal illness
Minor: Death of parent, Police brutality, Ableism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
omarickman'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
3.5
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Racial slurs
Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Ableism, Blood, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Excrement, Classism, and Death
Minor: Vomit, Rape, Infertility, Murder, and Pedophilia
books_brews_and_booze's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
One of the greatest storytellers of this time, in my humble opinion. I'd love to see school curriculums include his books in their lists, if they aren't already doing so.
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Grief, Antisemitism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Racism, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Chronic illness
Minor: Abandonment and Excrement
meganpbell'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
3.75
Graphic: Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Racism, and Ableism
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Infertility, Death, Death of parent, and Medical content
kimveach'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Antisemitism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Vomit, Alcohol, Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Murder, Racism, Sexual assault, Torture, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Racial slurs, and Sexual violence
booknerd_therapist'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? Yes
5.0
Admittedly, it was off to a slow start. I had a tough time getting into it, because the author meticulously goes into every character's back story. But without that, there is no story. So it's necessary, and if you want to experience the full beauty of this book, you need to truly understand the characters.
This book isn't just about being black. It's not just about being Jewish. It's not just about racism and antisemitism and surviving those things. It's not just about the horrific abuse disabled children experienced a century ago. Those things are omnipresent.... but they are a backdrop. They are a backdrop for the real story: Friendship, love, resilience, family, hope.
If you are hoping for a plot-driven story, this is not it. This is unapologetically character driven.
Graphic: Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Racism, Antisemitism, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Sexual violence, Grief, Confinement, and Sexual assault
Minor: Child death, Excrement, and Cursing
purplepenning's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Violence, Chronic illness, Grief, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Classism, Mental illness, Excrement, Confinement, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Death of parent, and Infertility
kerrygetsliterary'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Antisemitism, Chronic illness, Ableism, Death of parent, Grief, Racism, Rape, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault
reading_ladies_blog'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? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death, Grief, and Rape