Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

13 reviews

booknerd_therapist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

Oh my goodness. If you've ever read a book that ripped your heart out and made you examine it.... this is that kind of book.

Admittedly, it was off to a slow start. I had a tough time getting into it, because the author meticulously goes into every character's back story. But without that, there is no story. So it's necessary, and if you want to experience the full beauty of this book, you need to truly understand the characters.

This book isn't just about being black. It's not just about being Jewish. It's not just about racism and antisemitism and surviving those things. It's not just about the horrific abuse disabled children experienced a century ago. Those things are omnipresent.... but they are a backdrop. They are a backdrop for the real story: Friendship, love, resilience, family, hope. 

If you are hoping for a plot-driven story, this is not it. This is unapologetically character driven. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Racism, Antisemitism, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Sexual violence, Grief, Confinement, and Sexual assault

Minor: Child death, Excrement, and Cursing

ska1224's review

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

the author writes a lot about women's breasts and butts for certain. distracted from the story

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Cursing, Excrement, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Sexism, Racial slurs, and Ableism

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Minor: Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Hate crime, Child abuse, Alcohol, Slavery, Fatphobia, Infertility, Murder, Body shaming, Death, Deportation, and Medical content

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense 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? No

4.0

i struggled in the beginning because this started off incredibly slow and you follow quite a few groups of people. but each group’s story was full of heart. i did love the writing, just think the beginning was too slow. i would want to read a whole book about the characters associated with the mental institution alone. please read content warnings!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual violence, Violence, Antisemitism, Blood, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Terminal illness