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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A Book of American Martyrs is a large tome which follows two families connected by a shooting at an abortion clinic. The books examines how the shooting came to be as well as its ramifications over the years. Seeing into the mind of Luther Dunphy who is convinced God wants him to kill Gus Voorhees, a doctor who provides abortion services, was chilling. I loved the breadth and depth of this book, the way it explored events over time and through many different lenses. At one point I was irked by some repetition that I noticed but then I remembered this is how most of us operate in real life, often returning to crucial events, thinking about them over and over. However, I did feel some parts of the book wandered too far from the key focus. I personally could have done with a lot less boxing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Rape, and Grief
Moderate: Abortion
book_perk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Joyce Carol Oats brilliantly addresses a controversial issue by exploring the extremes of the pro-life and pro-choice movements in America. Two families are linked through the murder of abortion doctor Augustus Voorhees by the extremely religious Luther Dunphy. The book is mostly character driven with an in depth analysis of the two men and follows their families after the tragic event. I preferred earlier potions of the book such as descriptions of the legal proceedings and the public's reaction to the case. However, I found the book to be much longer than necessary and got bored at a few points. Although I liked the idea at the end of the book, I thought it was extremely drawn out and wished the boxing scenes had been significantly cut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Car accident, and Abortion
Minor: Child death and Violence