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shanban0303's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.5
Had to read this book for a college class, and thus wasn't expecting much. But my god, what a beautiful, heartbreaking book. Found myself gasping and laughing and sighing out of sadness for these characters, many times throughout the book. Beautiful imagery throughout, will be looking for more books by this author. Profs teaching English classes: assign this book, your students will be better for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Violence
lottiegasp's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
This is a tragic book about the pervading anti-Blackness in the US from Jim Crow era until the modern day, and how this collective trauma is passed down intergenerationally
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Grief, Cancer, Murder, Addiction, Hate crime, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Abandonment
This is a very sad book and covers a lot of dark topics relating to Jim Crow era anti-Blackness and abusive, neglectful parents. Read when you can handle itsydneythekydneybean's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I really wanted to like this book. It's one of my friend's favorite books, it's our next book club book, and I hate being that person who goes to a book club with negative or neutral things to say about something many people love.
I don't know what it was about Sing, Unburied, Sing that I didn't like. Out of all of the characters, Richie's story was the most intriguing and interesting, and the relationship between Jojo and Pop was mesmerizing and, honestly, something I wish we focused more on instead of Jojo and Kayla's relationship with their mother and father (which... I have many, many words to say about them and their particular parenting style, but I will plead the fifth here). Jesmyn Ward is undeniably a very good writer, but sometimes I felt like her lyrical prose outweighed the voice of the character we were in the head of. In the end, it might have been that which led me not to feel as connected to the characters as I wanted to. Some worked (see Richie), but many didn't (see Leonie).
It's a beautifully written and important book about poverty, family, racism, the ghosts of our pasts, and the hopes for our futures, but ultimately, it just wasn't for me.
I don't know what it was about Sing, Unburied, Sing that I didn't like. Out of all of the characters, Richie's story was the most intriguing and interesting, and the relationship between Jojo and Pop was mesmerizing and, honestly, something I wish we focused more on instead of Jojo and Kayla's relationship with their mother and father (which... I have many, many words to say about them and their particular parenting style, but I will plead the fifth here). Jesmyn Ward is undeniably a very good writer, but sometimes I felt like her lyrical prose outweighed the voice of the character we were in the head of. In the end, it might have been that which led me not to feel as connected to the characters as I wanted to. Some worked (see Richie), but many didn't (see Leonie).
It's a beautifully written and important book about poverty, family, racism, the ghosts of our pasts, and the hopes for our futures, but ultimately, it just wasn't for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Death, Racial slurs, Animal death, Racism, Child abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Violence, and Cancer
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Rape
kruthdetroit's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Child abuse, and Drug abuse
letterpress's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.5
Solid 4.5 stars.
Jesmyn Ward writes so descriptively. I could almost feel the swamp of Mississippi as I was reading this book. I could feel the resentment Leonie had towards her children, parents, and the grief of losing her brother. It made it easier to understand maybe why she was such a neglectful mother.
I enjoyed how she used the ghosts to showcase how our past can sometimes hold us back or make us stronger. As we read with Jojo and his sister Kayla.
She even explored the slave to prisoner pipeline at Parchman prison. A terrible penitentiary that is still being used to this day.
I am definitely going to keep her on my radar for future reading.
Jesmyn Ward writes so descriptively. I could almost feel the swamp of Mississippi as I was reading this book. I could feel the resentment Leonie had towards her children, parents, and the grief of losing her brother. It made it easier to understand maybe why she was such a neglectful mother.
I enjoyed how she used the ghosts to showcase how our past can sometimes hold us back or make us stronger. As we read with Jojo and his sister Kayla.
She even explored the slave to prisoner pipeline at Parchman prison. A terrible penitentiary that is still being used to this day.
I am definitely going to keep her on my radar for future reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Death, Cancer, Violence, Racism, Vomit, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Addiction, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Pregnancy
rebekistan's review
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Murder, Torture, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit and Child abuse
mel_j's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-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
4.5
There was a slight historical feel to 'Sing, Unburied, Sing' that is connected to the magical realism. I loved the historical references and facts; sad, but important, they added a lot to the book
It's a heartbreaking book that made me stop and think quite a few times; very moving.
The ending felt quite rushed and incomplete, which is why I don't give the book 5 stars – I feel there could've been done more, but I enjoyed the reading experience a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Addiction, Blood, Death, Toxic relationship, and Drug use
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Vomit, Hate crime, Blood, Cancer, and Grief
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
cheryl1213's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Beautiful and haunting. Too hard to capture without telling to much. A mix of gritty reality with a touch of magic
(Actually a reread but deleted the prior entry bc it was appearing as the wrong edition...probably wouldn't care but it was the audiobook and those just aren't my thing. The first paragraph was my old review, but it's still spot on (humbly said))
Beautiful and haunting. Too hard to capture without telling to much. A mix of gritty reality with a touch of magic
(Actually a reread but deleted the prior entry bc it was appearing as the wrong edition...probably wouldn't care but it was the audiobook and those just aren't my thing. The first paragraph was my old review, but it's still spot on (humbly said))
Beautiful and haunting. Too hard to capture without telling to much. A mix of gritty reality with a touch of magic
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Cancer
Moderate: Death and Addiction
Minor: Vomit
sisithelyricist's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I liked the poetic feel of this book. The writing and imagery is stellar, and the inclusion of racism and incarceration in this deeply moving story of a family doing their best was incredible. I disliked how wordy some parts got. Sometimes it took away from the story. Only a couple instances though. I also got a bit confused when picking up and putting down due to the jump around of character narratives. That’s why i rated it a 4.5. I would say this is a straight through read. However, depiction of the humanity of ALL characters was beautiful as well. That made the multiple narratives worth it in the end. All in all a beautiful and compelling story. I actually cried. I will be reading her work again! All the best to Jesmyn Ward! I recommend this book to all Americans, but especially Black people all over the diaspora. This is an important piece of work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Drug abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Sexual assault
annamay1021's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Child abuse, Racism, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, and Gun violence