Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

20 reviews

sustainably_lucia's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This is a story about friendship and people working together for the good of their community. Themes of resilience and defiance shine through as the characters navigate a society designed to keep them small, but they will not be held down. 

The focus of the story shifts from one character to another. I enjoyed this layered approach to introducing characters and giving their backstory as it applied to the story instead of having to keep track of it from the beginning. Each character adds a thread to the story as they intertwine and come together in the end.

It is a different writing style than I typically read and I enjoyed it very much. It is real and honest and true to how life was during this time. I cared deeply about this community and was rooting for them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual harassment

lindseyph's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, Death, Racism, and Sexual harassment

betzine's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful inspiring fast-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

This one is a slow burn, but it’s an exquisitely crafted novel that comes together in a deeply moving, satisfying conclusion. James McBride has a gift for capturing America’s complex beauty— largely by depicting its profound ugliness with unabashed frankness. This is a novel that will stay with me forever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Violence, Infertility, Murder, Antisemitism, Excrement, Ableism, Misogyny, Medical content, Racism, Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury

jasper_a's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

hm.
this was a book club book.. if it weren't, i do believe i would have dropped it some 60 or so pages into the book.
objectively, the writing is very good;  long-winded, winding, repetitive, sure but good.
there were many characters, many voices, many dialects and accents and languages (which is a hard sell imo, and were it not for the lovely narrator, Dominic Hoffman, i would have really struggled to get through it).
personally, i didn't enjoy how cyclical the vignettes were. events/incidents were referenced or recounted from multiple character's POVs, which to me were less insightful and more droning. i kept wanting the story to progress but the author wanted to hammer home how everyone felt about everything.
and honestly i would have given the book a passing grade if it weren't for the abrupt ending. i didn't hate how things were resolved but w/r/t the author's cadence, i feel that the ending was rushed out the door lest it miss its train.
it might be a short book club meeting tomorrow.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Violence, Rape, and Physical abuse

Minor: Mental illness and Xenophobia

ska1224's review against another edition

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

rachmb13's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Rape, and Child abuse

akira_vcat's review against another edition

1.0

I can see why people like this but my low rating is because this is simply not for me. Historically fiction can be hit or miss with me (like lessons in chemistry was a hit and this one a miss). I think I kept comparing it to lessons in chemistry because they are both historical fictions and they both have become boty. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, and Child abuse

Moderate: Forced institutionalization and Confinement

Minor: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings

amhud1030's review against another edition

Too slow paced, wasn’t what I expected. I did not like the town doctor and when he crossed a line and took advantage of a woman who was passed out/comatose it was the last straw for me. 

The only reason I kept listening as long is because I really like the narrator. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Racism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Antisemitism, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexism

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

melissa_bee's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Grief, Confinement, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Ableism, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Racial slurs, and Racism