Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia

20 reviews

gemstone's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Violence, and Misogyny

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Blood, and Sexual assault

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Suicide

h_andreanne's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Racism, Blood, Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, and Death of parent

lilymouse's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

If I could give this a hundred stars I would. This was a rollercoaster of emotions, and I honestly don't know how I feel other than in absolute awe of the beauty this book held.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Violence, Sexual harassment, Racism, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Colonisation, and Blood

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

rain_bellin's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War and Blood

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault

dramaqueentears's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective fast-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? Yes

3.0

Of Women and Salt tells the origin stories of six Cuban & Cuban-American women and a mother and daughter from El Salvador living undocumented in Miami. It begins with Maria Isabel, a cigar roller who lived through the fight for Cuban independence from Spain. Then, we learn about Dolores, the granddaughter of Maria Isabel, who survived an abusive relationship during the Cuban Revolution. It takes us to 2014, where we meet the daughter of Dolores, Carmen, and Carmen’s daughter, Jeanette, who now live in Miami. Jeanette has a rough relationship with Carmen because of previous trauma and her drug addiction. Carmen won’t tell Jeanette anything about why she left Cuba and her family behind, adding more aggravation to their dynamic. 

The story really becomes connected in 2014 when Jeanette takes in a little girl named Ana when the girl’s mother is detained by ICE. 

What I liked:
- The fact that the main plot point surrounding immigrant detention happens in 2014. We need more literature that holds President Obama accountable for his role in that. 
- All of the Cuban/Cuban-American characters were so unlikable but their chapters were so good. 

What I disliked:
- The book was so short that I didn’t feel very connected or even knowledgeable about the characters.
- Other than making a statement about ICE, there was really no reason to include a plot with two characters from El Salvador. They didn’t really add much to the story until the end and Gloria and Ana had no real personalities. 
- The chapters jumped around so frequently. Not a big deal for the chapters written in the 1950’s or the 1890’s, but I had to do a lot of mental math to determine what was going on with the more present-day characters because one chapter would be written in 2019 and the next in 2015.

Overall, I think it could have been better but it was alright! The idea was great. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, and Addiction

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, Cancer, and Blood

Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Medical content, and Medical trauma

evilo_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

There were many great parts of the book with many dynamic characters, vivid settings, and detailed prose. Unfortunately, the character we focused on the most, Jeanette, was extremely unlikeable. Her redeeming qualities were almost nonexistent, and while the traumas she endured certainly explained her character they didn’t help her story arc in a fulfilling way. All this to say, I definitely wasn’t prepared for how trauma-heavy this book was and it came as an overwhelmingly depressing surprise that definitely hindered my enjoyment and appreciation of this novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Death, Pedophilia, and Racism

Minor: Child abuse

pollyflorence's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse

mezzano's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-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

4.0

When I learned that Of Women and Salt was told through multiple generations and perspectives, I knew I had to read this book. This story is beautiful and intricately woven. Don't let this book's small size fool you: This book is long and requires your attention to appreciate how each character is connected. 

Of Women and Salt focuses on several Latina women and how their lived experiences have been shaped by personal and political difficulties. At its highest moments, Garcia's work is engrossing and heart-wrenching. Although the pacing of the book itself is slow, I would also consider it a page turner. It was the characters and their challenges that keeps readers turning the pages. Because many of the chapters feel like short stories, when the ending arrives and connects all the histories together, it feels very much deserved. 

At times, the narrative can be tangled and confusing. I believe this is intentional and also enhances the story. The women who are portrayed in this narrative are not simple and cannot live simple lives. Their past, present, and future will be untangled and touched by others, because they are simply the only ones capable of understanding the challenges each other has faced. Be warned while reading that this book has a slew of content warnings, such as pedophilia, sexual assault, death, addiction, deportation, and confinement. This book will likely be incredibly triggering for certain viewers, so please take care to look at the content warnings before reading this book. 

Overall, it was the beautiful writing of Gabriella Garcia that really makes Of Women and Salt memorable. With it's release date right around the corner (April 6th), I'm thrilled to have had the chance to review this from NetGalley. Please make sure to preorder the book from your local bookstore. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Addiction, Death, Alcoholism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Trafficking

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Of Women and Salt is made up of interwoven snapshots.  It starts with Jeanette, a young woman struggling with substance abuse in modern-day Miami who takes in her neighbor, a Salvadoran child whose mother has been taken by ICE.  Through a non-linear timeline, we meet Carmen, Dolores, Maria Isabel—the Cuban women who came before her.  And we hear the stories of the Salvadoran women as well.  All of them women who make choices that their daughters may never understand.  Gabriela Garcia’s characters are complex—flawed yet vibrant.  This slim volume is like a toe dipped into a vast ocean of intergenerational trauma and the stories it conjures.  The heartbeat of these stories is survival 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Drug abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Cancer, Death, Blood, and Alcoholism

stephskees's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I can already tell this will make my top 5 books of 2021. It is a masterpiece in every way. You will feel it in the very depths of your soul. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Death, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Minor: Gun violence