Reviews

I feel so bad that I didn't love this book. It's a book with diverse characters and good writing, but there are a few reasons I couldn't get into it:
1) I JUST finished reading Lord of the Rings and coming off that high was going to make any other book pale in comparison.
2) I was on a tight deadline to finish it for a book club, so I had to read it in 2 day AND I had to listen to it on audio. This book had so many characters and so many intertwining stories that it was hard to keep track of on audio. So I'd say if you're going to give this one a go, make sure to read it instead of listen to it.

devlev7's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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? Yes

4.0

This book had been on my list for a long time (and on hold for months). It was also one of the books my Grannie had on hold when she died. So, all that to say, my expectations were very high. And I would say it partially lived up. It was definitely very interesting, lots to digest about history, cultural divides, and the ways racism and white supremacy harm and prop up different groups at different times. It was definitely difficult to read at times, the themes are very heavy and very thought provoking. But overall I found it interesting and a good literary read. My main complaint is that it was veryyyyy slow…I like the intense looks into many different characters’ lives and backstories, but it honestly went a bit over the top for me, at the expense of the plot. However, I’d still recommend this book - very fascinating and exciting story about the nuances and experiences in a Black and Jewish community in a Philadelphia suburb in the 1930s. Good social commentary too. Definitely read the content warnings.

Content Warnings

jess_polishedcomma's review

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Not the right fit for my mood and timeline - might come back to it later. Was a book club pick, I listened to the discussion ("slice of life" book, seemed set up to be a mystery but that never turned into anything)

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