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mayze's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The main character is a black man who owns a furniture shop and like most Americans of his time is chasing The Dream by doing things by the book, eventually realising there's little to no chance for a man like him to achieve it that way.
The book then follows the main character trying to keep his head above water while outside forces are pulling him down (sometimes he dives willingly too).
This book was my introduction to Colson Whitehead and really liked this book and have since bought the sequel to this book and got his critically acclaimed "The Underground Railroad" which I add a review here later
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Murder, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Blood, Classism, Death, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, and Torture
mummyzz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Murder, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Racial slurs
Minor: Domestic abuse, Grief, Blood, Child abuse, and Cursing
alisonvh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Gun violence, Torture, Racial slurs, Cursing, Classism, Blood, Hate crime, Death, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Drug use, Racism, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Infidelity and Kidnapping
graceesford's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence and Death
Moderate: Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Addiction, Blood, and Violence
for_esme_with_love's review
- 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? Yes
4.0
Set in 1960s Harlem, this noir thriller follows a furniture salesman wrestling with his commitment to remaining on the straight and narrow, all the while his path is increasingly filled with twists and disreputable turns. The narration is full of shrewd observations about a city that is crooked to its core, introducing us to a cast of deliciously unsavory characters. I loved the subtle humor -- witty repartee between characters and a protagonist who can't help but wax poetic on the value of a good sofa or dining room set, even in the most dire circumstances.
Graphic: Gun violence and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, and Death
Minor: Cursing and Forced institutionalization
The racism and homophobic displayed by some characters are definitely supposed to be bad, not the views of the authorliagorash's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Racial slurs and Cursing
Moderate: Death
Minor: Child abuse and Rape
skylaturner's review
- 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? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Addiction, Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Police brutality
klfgasaway's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Police brutality, Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence
averyhawthorne's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Violence
canadabooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism