Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

25 reviews

craftyanty's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

Not at all what I expected, but a beautiful book, no less.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Confinement, Child death, and Antisemitism

henneyce's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This is literature

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Child death, Racial slurs, Ableism, Antisemitism, Classism, Blood, Death, Grief, Sexual assault, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Rape and Child abuse

zombiezami's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.5

I read McBride's memoir about himself and his Jewish mom years ago. It's wonderful to see how, in addition to research, he clearly pulled from aspects of his upbringing in crafting this book. I will say that, although I liked the connection to USAmericans being on stolen land, this would have been a stronger theme if there were any indigenous characters, which there weren't, as far as I remember.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Excrement, Sexual assault, Confinement, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Child death, Pedophilia, Antisemitism, Cancer, Religious bigotry, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Medical content, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Violence, Stalking, Grief, Cursing, and Outing

Moderate: Mental illness, Colonisation, Infertility, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, Alcohol, and Misogyny

Minor: War and Slavery

izzymow's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Racism, Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Child death, and Rape

kaneebli's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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: Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Child abuse

Moderate: Rape, Ableism, Child death, and Antisemitism

Minor: Excrement and Death of parent

lyndsay_bibliophile's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

“The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store" is a unique story, highlighting the power of community and the strength of the human spirit. Its unconventional storytelling and character building with its satisfying ending was a joy to experience. This is a book for those who appreciate slow-burning character studies, intricate narratives, and the unique beauty of a story that defies traditional structure.

What sets this book apart is its patient, layered, non-linear approach to character development. McBride does a glorious job of weaving individual tales into a larger community story in a way that was deeply satisfying. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, and Racism

Moderate: Death, Excrement, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization

alichan459's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

knkoch's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

This was quite an astounding, complex, layered, clockwork mechanism of a book. Like in Deacon King Kong, McBride creates a huge and intricate community. In 1930s Pottstown, PA, the black residents are segregated onto Chicken Hill and neglected by city leaders and infrastructure; white protestants cling to power, privilege, and the false Mayflower-tinged history they believe justifies it; and the Jewish community, made up of both long-established families and recent immigrants, is caught in the middle of the town's hierarchy. Of course, when there's racial hierarchy, the middle is not so different from the bottom, and there are untold ways to experience cruelty and discrimination. 

There are lots of mysteries in the plot, and I don't think I understood all of them, but the story didn't suffer for it. It's hard, and there's a lot of ugliness, individual and societal, exposed. But there's kindness, triumph, and joy, too. Truly everything between heaven and earth is present in these human beings, and in us, too. The world we inhabit can be both deeply broken and full of wonder at once. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Excrement, Racism, Mental illness, Child death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Rape

fremlo's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Slow to start, the heaven and earth grocery store creates an in-depth image of community and characters both relatable and deeply human. The ending is perfect and reminds me to always fight for justice and hope for more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Rape, and Child death

emmyjo85's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

Excellent book. The first half was a little slow and that's why it isn't 5 stars, but it picked up and I loved the characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual assault and Death