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platypus1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
chasen's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
thedadsie's review against another edition
I know the book won some awards but I just can't get into the style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
gamz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
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
5.0
hisabelbide's review against another edition
4.0
"John Brown's body lies a'moldering in the grave, but his soul goes marching on..."
McBride makes history haptic and lively with blockbuster-paced prose that disarms with its casual efficiency before smacking you around every now and then with some emotional impact - a bit redundant from time to time in ensuring character names and details are drilled into your mind, but within a conversational tone as Onion recounts with excitement his story to the reader, not as an author being condescending to their audience. Some of the quickest 400 pages I've read through, touching upon all kinds of important perspectives and angles regarding the hard work of revolution, and the drawbacks of insurrection. The historical liberties aren't so much reductions of 1800s attitudes as they are re-appropriations and reclamations of 1900s interpretations of Brown and his raid on Harpers Ferry - the book is in no rush to deify the man, laying out questions of his sanity throughout, but by the end you come to understand to be a sane man in a time where institutional slavery was the norm was a madness in itself.
McBride makes history haptic and lively with blockbuster-paced prose that disarms with its casual efficiency before smacking you around every now and then with some emotional impact - a bit redundant from time to time in ensuring character names and details are drilled into your mind, but within a conversational tone as Onion recounts with excitement his story to the reader, not as an author being condescending to their audience. Some of the quickest 400 pages I've read through, touching upon all kinds of important perspectives and angles regarding the hard work of revolution, and the drawbacks of insurrection. The historical liberties aren't so much reductions of 1800s attitudes as they are re-appropriations and reclamations of 1900s interpretations of Brown and his raid on Harpers Ferry - the book is in no rush to deify the man, laying out questions of his sanity throughout, but by the end you come to understand to be a sane man in a time where institutional slavery was the norm was a madness in itself.
yelsel13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
xystophi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-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
4.5
katel1970's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting, odd, and funny. Though I realize it's weird to call a book about John Brown funny, I laughed out loud many times. Many witty turns of phrase.