Reviews with content warning for Religious bigotry - The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

67 reviews

jahsi's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-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? No

4.0

This isn't my typical read but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ngl the ending made me tear up a bit. While each character was well written and important to the story, Chona felt like the anchor that really brought it all together.

Content Warnings

alisonvh's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

5.0

This book is so good, and I’m sure that, the more I think about it, the more I’ll like it.

Content Warnings

qqjj's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

suchsweetsorrow89's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-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? No

3.0

Similar to previous reviews I have read of this book, it is not quite what it advertises itself to be. Indeed, the "murder mystery" aspect of it seems to be almost a secondary focus of the account (think of this as similar to The Secret History's advertising). Instead, this book focuses on themes of community and solidarity, particularly showing how physical spaces not only impact the relationships we form with one another, but ultimately seems to show how the spaces we encounter impact our senses of agency and our politics overall. I think the book is stunning in the way it maps this out. Props also must go to the writing style of the book, which I think makes it easy to imagine and immerse yourself in the world, while also containing moments of excellence (which I found most stunning when we reach Chona's and Dodo's points of view). I think it is also very informative on Jewish and Black cultures, which I think makes it really interesting and leaves the reader taking away a lot on those identities. The only qualm I have with this book is that at times I think there is a lot of unnecessary clings onto descriptions, and with the wide breadth of characters and storylines, at times it comes off as a bit confusing and, perhaps, boring to read. All in all though, it is a wonderful book and I am glad that I picked it up.

Content Warnings

cindereads's review against another edition

Go to review page

slow-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

5.0

Content Warnings

schausjk's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

There were many aspects to this book I did enjoy. Some of the characters were very interesting, particularly Chona and Nate. The way James McBride really showcases his characters serves the book well in driving home how interconnected everyone is, and how one person's decisions can impact everyone else. That being said, I would have loved to have seen more character growth from many of those involved. And while I know that the characters are the main focus here, I'd also have loved more frequent descriptions of Chicken Hill itself as a place. At times I'd just sit back and soak in the sense of place created by the characters and their histories, and I would've liked to see more on how their surroundings impact them in turn. I also found the ending somewhat anticlimactic in part because of all this time spent building up this web of characters. I've seen how they relate to each other, and I learned what became of a few of them, but there are many more who I came to know and care about over the course of the story but never really found out what happened to them.

Content Warnings

tctimlin's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

I kept hearing that this book was about the relationship between the Jewish and black communities of Pottstown, but this sprawling novel is so much more. With as many characters as a Russian novel, some real, most made up, this novel tells stories of history, race, and community. McBride uses real events like a flood in Pottstown in 1972, and real places like the notorious Pennhurst institution for the mentally ill and the disabled. But it is his characters who bring life to the story. Chona, Moshe, Nate, Addie, and Dodo and all the others will stay with me for a long time.

Content Warnings