Reviews - The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

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3.13k reviews for:

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

This book was gifted to me a couple of years ago, but its length (a whopping 800 pages) intimidated the heck out of me. It really shouldn't have, however, because i finished this yestarday and i'm still thinking i could have easily read more.

Jeffers has crafted a beautifully written and moving, but also haunting, infuriating, and disturbing tale of the Black (and Native American) experience in America, all the way back to the 1700s. More than that, this is an ode to Black women - Jeffers herself classifies her book as a Black feminist novel - and so it is the women that carry the story. I loved them all. I will carry these characters with me and think about them for a long time.

(If you decide to pick this up, and you really should, make sure to check the trigger warnings, as they are extensive and can be quite graphic)

meeksqueak's review against another edition

5.0

emotional informative inspiring 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: No

thendricks10's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

It is dense and sometimes dark but an excellent read. I love the way the generations are interwoven

ieslick012's review against another edition

3.75

challenging informative reflective 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

jenshann0n's review against another edition

4.75

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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: Complicated

jdelu06's review against another edition

4.0

I thought there was no way I could finish a book this long so fast with a full time job and two kids. But it was compelling, important and the characters were alive to me. It is painful to read but it’s a pain Americans need to face. Either for accountability or understanding or both. But it’s also funny and wise and romantic. It’s the whole human experience. Highly recommend, but trigger warning for sexual and physical abuse.