Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

181 reviews

nicolelovesbooks's review

3.5

Is it possible to enjoy a book that totally bores you? I liked the writing at the sentence level but this book did not have nearly enough plot for me (especially the first half). The narrator does an excellent job reading all the many characters’ voices though! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, Racism, Racial slurs, and Death

gabyteresa's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

Initially difficult for me to get into but once I did, I was very invested. The book was worth the read for the ending. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Sexual assault, and Racial slurs

emma_sky's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Pedophilia

Moderate: Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Excrement, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, Rape, and Murder

Minor: Terminal illness, Slavery, Alcohol, and Mass/school shootings

acashton's review against another edition

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, Racism, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Death, Rape, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Death of parent and Death

greenan26's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Chronic illness, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, Racism, Classism, Death, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Ableism, Excrement, Pedophilia, Rape, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Cursing, and Violence

Minor: Alcohol

micklesreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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? No

4.5

A wonderful ensemble of characters here, and the ways that some of the Jews and Black folks in Pottstown cared for one another. McBride has such a gift with place and characterization.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Rape, Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Racial slurs

victoriastarkid's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Excrement

Moderate: Death, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Child abuse

nairijan's review against another edition

emotional 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

An incredibly expansive historical novel! McBride excels at creating a setting that is very much alive and nuanced as his characters. Shifting character points of view from chapter to chapter allowed such a wonderful depth to not just the primary characters but the secondary ones as well while simultaneously seeing how each character could interact with others in a combinatorial fashion. McBride also honors his historical topic well, illuminating the different struggles among Black and Jewish populations in 1930s Pennsylvania. My one gripe is some of his sweeping narrative regarding an unknown future of technology and attention-leeching phones that the characters would lament knowing. I felt it to be more of a reflection of the author's luddite views than a necessity to include in this rich novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

djbobthegirl's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Racial slurs, Death, Excrement, Medical content, Murder, Sexual assault, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Mental illness, Ableism, Antisemitism, and Sexual violence

wanderingghost12's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense 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? No

4.0

James McBride is phenomenal at his use of irony and describing people. He creates a colorful cast of characters that are loveable, fearless, and completely human. He shows us the good, the bad, and the ugly very well and keeps us intrigued by their character development. This book was relatively slow at times, so portions were difficult to get through, but the last third of the book was great and so well-written. This book is very dark and portrays a clear and concise image of how America was like for minority groups in the 1930s. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Chronic illness, Classism, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Ableism, Cursing, Excrement, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault