Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

31 reviews

nativeladybookwarrior's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? Yes

4.0

There is no question that the writing of this book is incredible. My goodness, the depth of love for Harlem is not only apparent, but it's build within people's struggle, their strength, and the stories. I saw not only the development of characters but also how characters and PLACE develop each other. It was also an amazing prose. I loved the dialogue! The internal mindse  of Ray.  Early on with the prose I was already not expecting a fast, complex plot heist. But I loved what I got instead, a shuffle of amazing characters. I'm looking forward to reading Crooked Manifesto. 

If you're looking forward to a fast paced plot, filled with intense twists this might not be the book for you. But im a character driven reader, so this was wonderful for me. :)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Murder, Violence, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, and Addiction

mayze's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

A great book set in New York City  between the late 50s to the mid 60s. 

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

---

Content Warnings

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

informative reflective slow-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

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

adventurous challenging dark 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? Yes

4.5

I’m not a huge fan of the fact that the plot was more like three separate stories than one overarching plot. But his writing is so beautiful I can’t help but love it. And he is good at including phrases throughout the book that tie all three stories together.

---

Content Warnings

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

citybookspgh's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

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

3.0

Rambling. Didn’t hold my attention. Disappointing. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Classism, Alcohol, and Sexism

jessi_c's review

adventurous mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

For me, this story was gripping enough to keep me entertained. However, it’s was mainly due to the cast of minor characters, which enriched the plot moreso than the mc. The prose shined when it dived deep into the heists/jobs, again largely unraveled by the side characters. Wished there was more to talk about.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Death

Moderate: Racism and Drug use

Minor: Police brutality and Homophobia

reggiethebird's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A really well crafted vibe throughout the whole book. Colson Whitehead has a great voice than can really get you lost in the world at times. Sort of a lazy recollection type feel to the whole thing deal, with some really nice sentences that jump out at you every few pages.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, Addiction, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Police brutality, Sexual content, Blood, Bullying, Kidnapping, Hate crime, Gun violence, and Torture

Minor: Child abuse, Grief, and Antisemitism

bookgurl488's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was about a man who was straddling two worlds. The first world was that of a family man that sold furniture in his store and the other one; was a two bit crook inherited from his father side of the family.  The dichotomy of these worlds is what made this book interesting.  He would not have survived these worlds without Pepper. He was awesome.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Bullying, Racism, and Death

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Blood

Minor: Trafficking, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and War

zofoklecja's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Bardzo dobre. Gatunkowo raczej nie moja bajka. W pewnym momencie zagęszczenie nazw i nazwisk zaczęło mnie męczyć. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Racism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, War, Drug use, Death, and Gun violence

Minor: Infidelity, Xenophobia, and Sexual violence

knkoch's review

adventurous funny mysterious reflective 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

Colson Whitehead is very talented. Every book of his I’ve read has felt important, but never the same. While The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad are essential, they’re also heavy; Harlem Shuffle felt zippy and exciting, almost like a crime or heist caper. Almost. Because it’s still set in Harlem in the 1960s, and its characters are very much entrenched in the context of that time: institutional racism, corruption, civil rights protests, and gradual, gradual change, through grit as much as through hustle. 

Every character is handled so carefully, both in their virtues and flaws. Whitehead manages to convey so much of their backstory and personal philosophy without it ever feeling clunky or expositional. He handled time jumps and background more gracefully and seamlessly than anything I’ve read recently. I suppose I just have to read everything he’s written now and savor his expertise. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Murder, and Gun violence

Moderate: Racial slurs and Drug use

Minor: Police brutality