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thereallouisamayalcott'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
5.0
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Grief, and Racial slurs
kaelynbyers's review
- 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
5.0
“That's the point, isn't it? To keep learning. To grow. To do more good than harm. To create compassion. To understand that every person you encounter is not there by coincidence. All of us play a role in another person's life. What goes around comes around.”
This is a beautiful story following the lives of 7 Chinese women throughout history.
It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Both angering and calming.
Both painful and healing.
It is a story about both grieving and joy.
About loneliness and community.
About weakness and strength.
I have never come across that is so many different things at the same time.
This is a beautifully complex story that walks through the sufferings of women in one family line while highlighting all the ways their trauma and joys are shared across generations. The struggles that make them feel the most isolated and alone are the very things that tie them together.
This book is beautiful, but it does have some difficult topics that could be triggers for readers. This book talks in great detail about depression, suicide, physical abuse, racism, SA, and loss of friends and family.
Please consider the topics covered before reading this book.
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Slavery, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Rape, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Classism, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, and Mental illness
laguerrelewis's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Child death, Grief, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Racism, Medical content, Mental illness, Rape, Blood, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Self harm, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, War, Bullying, Classism, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
scorttarius's review
- 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
I’ve never read a book that was a simultaneous sci-fi historical fiction book. The book is centered around a main character Dorothy undergoing epigenetics therapy sessions and is flashed back to POVs of the women before her. Each one has seemed to go through some tragic moments with themes of love (or lack of) and loss.
A true tearjerker book with great follow-up resources about epigenetics and the historical moments used in the book.
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Deportation, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Child death, Suicide attempt, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Rape
jamiejanae_6's review against another edition
- 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: Abandonment, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, War, Vomit, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Rape, Racial slurs, Racism, Physical abuse, and Lesbophobia
zosiablue's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, and Classism
Moderate: Suicide, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Grief, Rape, and Pregnancy
apworden's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, War, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Ableism, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Confinement, Deportation, Pregnancy, Grief, Body horror, Blood, Death, Bullying, Child death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Colonisation
jedore'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? It's complicated
4.25
Karma is more like a suitcase. You have to be unafraid to open it up and look at what's inside, to unpack the things you do not need. Karma is the climate of the past which shapes how much leeway we have in the future.
Well, this was a wonderful multi-generational ride and an excellent introduction to the concept of epigenetics. It’s a combo of historical and futuristic fiction, as well as magical realism.
It took a bit longer to get totally pulled in to the story because of the multiple characters, but it’s well worth the extra effort.
Spanning from the early 1800s to the late 2000s, the stories of the women of the Moy family are heartbreaking. The concept of trauma being passed down to future generations becomes completely believable when you read about multiple generations simultaneously. I have no doubt that most of the immigrants and all African-Americans are impacted by this awful phenomenon.
Highly recommend this one for those seeking pleasure and evolution!
Graphic: Pregnancy, Classism, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Grief, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Slavery
Moderate: Outing, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Deportation, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pandemic/Epidemic
thebookgeek's review
- 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
Graphic: Ableism and Medical trauma
Moderate: Sexual assault, Homophobia, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, War, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pandemic/Epidemic
caseythereader's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Abandonment, Death, Bullying, Racial slurs, Vomit, Child death, War, Gun violence, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Rape, and Xenophobia