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cinnaminskies's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, Racism, Hate crime, and Racial slurs
Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Slavery
paolina's review
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Abandonment
samara's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Confinement
Minor: Mass/school shootings
literarylion's review
- 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
4.5
- Strong voice and narrative structure
- Unique plots , masterful integration of racial issues
- Good pacing
- Some of the characters in different stories seemed almost indistinguishable from one another
- A lot of the stories had very similar messages
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racism, and Racial slurs
Minor: Infidelity
dramaqueentears's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
All in all, Danielle Evans can tell an enthralling story. The plot is there. I didn’t think the characters were developed enough, or maybe the plot was told in a removed way? Either way, something felt lacking to me in the short stories. Definitely thought provoking though. The ones that have me thinking are “Boys Go to Jupiter,” a story about a white girl who is harassed online for wearing a Confederate flag bathing suit, and “Why Won’t Women Say What They Want?,” a story about an artist who was emotionally abusive to several women in various relationships who turns his apologies to each of them into an art exhibit. The other short stories to me were just forgettable.
HOWEVER. I’ve been raving all day about the novella, “The Office of Historical Corrections.” The plot reminds me of The Vanishing Half, but I like the author’s creation of the Institute of Public History, a fictional government agency that works to correct historical inaccuracies. I love the dynamic between Cassie and Genie. Cassie works for the agency to go along to get along, whereas Genie gets pushed out because telling the “truth” about America’s treatment of Black people with no analysis isn’t enough for her. I could have read a whole book about the two of them.
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Police brutality
eb385's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Minor: Hate crime, Racism, and Racial slurs
rachbake's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, and Gun violence
cassys's review
- 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
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, and Gun violence
kthrasher's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, and Hate crime
leah_alexandra's review
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Car accident, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Suicide