Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
emotional
slow-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy, Abandonment
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Cool foray into magical realism and American mythology, but didn't really land for me
It is hard to rate this book. It was searingly painful while layered with Ward’s incredible prose. I have loved everything Ward has written and, of course, a book about slavery is going to be painful. I struggled to keep going at times, which perhaps is the only way it could be because her writing effectively evokes the utter awfulness and cruelty of slavery.
I found this review a helpful companion piece: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/21/novelist-jesmyn-ward-losing-my-partner-almost-made-me-stop-writing
I found this review a helpful companion piece: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/21/novelist-jesmyn-ward-losing-my-partner-almost-made-me-stop-writing
Incredibly hard to read at times but in such a way that i could not look away
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was not an easy read. I had to persevere through the end to get it done. As beautiful as the writing is, the subject matter is intense and very descriptive in the feelings of all the characters involved- from a loving relationship between a mother and daughter to violent and hateful relationships of the enslavers and the enslaved people. This one is not for everyone but it also deserves the attention it’s getting for some of the best storytelling of the year.
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No