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jennifer_vars's review
challenging
dark
medium-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? No
4.5
"The seas are rising, whatever you believe. Soon we will all be wet together, and together we will gasp for air"
Tomorrow will mark five years since the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville. Fitting to finish this book at that anniversary as it attempts to tell a dystopian tale of what might have happened if that rally would have been more successful.
My Monticello is a collection of five short stories and one novella. I highly recommend the audio version of this. Each story is read by a different narrator and they do an amazing job bringing the stories to life. Also, really hard to believe this is a debut novel.
The novella actually comes at the end, after the other short stories. It's set in the near future and is about a young UVA college student descended from Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings that is driven from her neighborhood by a white militia that has taken over the city. She and others make it to Jefferson's home at Monticello and the story is how they try to survive the unraveling of society.
Overall, 4.5 stars because it was such a great audiobook. I thought two of the short stories and the novella were really thought provoking but the others were kind of hard to get into.
Tomorrow will mark five years since the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville. Fitting to finish this book at that anniversary as it attempts to tell a dystopian tale of what might have happened if that rally would have been more successful.
My Monticello is a collection of five short stories and one novella. I highly recommend the audio version of this. Each story is read by a different narrator and they do an amazing job bringing the stories to life. Also, really hard to believe this is a debut novel.
The novella actually comes at the end, after the other short stories. It's set in the near future and is about a young UVA college student descended from Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings that is driven from her neighborhood by a white militia that has taken over the city. She and others make it to Jefferson's home at Monticello and the story is how they try to survive the unraveling of society.
Overall, 4.5 stars because it was such a great audiobook. I thought two of the short stories and the novella were really thought provoking but the others were kind of hard to get into.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, and War
foreverinastory's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
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
What an amazing collection of stories.
CWs: Racism, violence, death, gun violence, hate crime, slavery, grief, car accident, pregnancy, ableism, chronic illness (asthma), cursing, infidelity, police brutality, murder, fire. Moderate: Fatphobia, rape, sexual content, war. Minor: adult/minor relationship, sexual assault, blood.
CWs: Racism, violence, death, gun violence, hate crime, slavery, grief, car accident, pregnancy, ableism, chronic illness (asthma), cursing, infidelity, police brutality, murder, fire. Moderate: Fatphobia, rape, sexual content, war. Minor: adult/minor relationship, sexual assault, blood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Ableism, Chronic illness, Police brutality, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Infidelity, Murder, Racism, Gun violence, Death, Hate crime, Slavery, Cursing, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: War, Rape, Sexual content, and Fatphobia
Minor: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Blood
ce_read's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I received an ARC of this book before it was published and just now finished it, months after it was published
Distressing, heartbreaking, very well written. I felt like, a couple of times, the Point was lain with a bit too heavy of a hand (reiterating something clearly that had just been pointed to in in-text action), but overall, it didn't put me off of the story. Lots of historical evidence was woven into the story, and the climate (social & ecological) are both deeply disturbing in their portrayal of just how close we are to the setting in this book.
Finishing it felt like a kick in the gut. Well done.
The short stories didn't "grab" me in the same way that the novella did, but I also feel like I may not have been the intended audience.
Distressing, heartbreaking, very well written. I felt like, a couple of times, the Point was lain with a bit too heavy of a hand (reiterating something clearly that had just been pointed to in in-text action), but overall, it didn't put me off of the story. Lots of historical evidence was woven into the story, and the climate (social & ecological) are both deeply disturbing in their portrayal of just how close we are to the setting in this book.
Finishing it felt like a kick in the gut. Well done.
The short stories didn't "grab" me in the same way that the novella did, but I also feel like I may not have been the intended audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Pregnancy, War, and Violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
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