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whatchapterareyouon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Wow this book is heavy! Set in the South of America in the 1950s, this is a character driven books that really has you empathising. (Trigger warning) it covers themes of abuse, race, prostitution.
It’s based around the unlikely friendship of two women but delves into their backstories and the hardships they’ve been through.
It’s based around the unlikely friendship of two women but delves into their backstories and the hardships they’ve been through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual content, Violence, Sexual assault, Murder, and Sexual violence
my_a's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Beautiful writing and touching characters. The story and writing has not aged a day. I was shock when i saw its 23 years old! Some chapters were heartbreaking and uncomfortable to read.
But I did often find it hard to follow the quick changes in timelines as they were very sudden and unclear.
I had no expectations when i started reading but wow I loved this book, really beautiful writing. I'm looking forward to reading the 2nd Suga Lacey book.
But I did often find it hard to follow the quick changes in timelines as they were very sudden and unclear.
I had no expectations when i started reading but wow I loved this book, really beautiful writing. I'm looking forward to reading the 2nd Suga Lacey book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Misogyny, Grief, Death, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence, Racism, Child death, and Child abuse
Minor: Infidelity
shansometimes's review against another edition
dark
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
5.0
SUGAR is a novel about what happens when a 20-something sex worker with a rough past decides to move to a small, conservative Arkansas town to start over. I absolutely loved it, as it included so many elements that I'm always drawn to—a historical timeframe, female friendship, tension through controversy, commentary on Christianity, small-town life, and Black southern characters.
I was on edge throughout most of the book because the author kept revealing small, worrisome details and I couldn't imagine how these things were going to come to a head. I enjoyed following along as Sugar, the primary main character, struggled with her identity and formed an unlikely friendship with Pearl, her buttoned-up, church-going neighbor. Their friendship created a strong theme of redemption and healing for both women and forced the small-town minds around them to confront their judgments, sexism, and secrets. Watching Pearl and Sugar's friendship unfold among the twists and turns in this novel and imagining all of this happening in the 1950s was my kind of wild ride.
This book also reminded me of SULA, my favorite novel by Toni Morrison, in some small ways. If you liked SULA, I think there's a good chance you'll enjoy SUGAR as much as I did. Five stars!
I was on edge throughout most of the book because the author kept revealing small, worrisome details and I couldn't imagine how these things were going to come to a head. I enjoyed following along as Sugar, the primary main character, struggled with her identity and formed an unlikely friendship with Pearl, her buttoned-up, church-going neighbor. Their friendship created a strong theme of redemption and healing for both women and forced the small-town minds around them to confront their judgments, sexism, and secrets. Watching Pearl and Sugar's friendship unfold among the twists and turns in this novel and imagining all of this happening in the 1950s was my kind of wild ride.
This book also reminded me of SULA, my favorite novel by Toni Morrison, in some small ways. If you liked SULA, I think there's a good chance you'll enjoy SUGAR as much as I did. Five stars!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
Minor: Religious bigotry
jennikreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Grief, Bullying, Child death, Death, and Murder
moniipeters's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Child abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Child death, Sexual harassment, and Murder
elleapple's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Child death, Sexual content, and Murder
kimboslicee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Body horror
winkieunc's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
The audio book just pulled me in. I was so invested in the story. My heart broke with these characters. I highly recommend it if you like books that make you feel something.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Rape
Moderate: Sexism, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Minor: Slavery and Terminal illness
books_plus_brownies's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Racism, Physical abuse, Grief, and Death
joanaprneves's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
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
3.75
The book is well written and doesn’t give in to a virtuoso handling of misery and grief. It allows for the reader to learn about the most terrible events with a certain directedness that is not sensationalist.
That is why the ending disappointed me, but also the fact that the reason why the Christian woman (Pearl) and later her husband Joe too, befriend the prostitute (Sugar) is more related to kin than to generosity of spirit. Rather than opening up the characters to a real Christian sense of humanity (or simply humanism), the book becomes a cliché of a lost daughter ending up in the arms (for a while at least) of her long lost father and substitute mother. Joe is described as an independent man, who doesn’t yield to gossip or toxic masculinity so the hardly credible plot twist of Sugar being his daughter undermines the sparkle of humanity to book seemed to build within a small community.
There was such a good opportunity, if one had to keep the topic of parenthood, to explore parental projections against pure acceptance and care: because they don’t know that Joe is the father, the couple who take Sugar into their homes as almost an adoptive daughter let her be who she is, although trying to steer her away from prostitution.
There are very strong moments, but they often feel like driftwood floating at the surface of things: Pearl discovering her body, her beauty, could be such an intimate and profound moment but it just “brings her back” as if things were that simple.
Nevertheless, the impeccable style of the book and the originality of the characters, despite what I mentioned make for a good read.
That is why the ending disappointed me, but also the
There was such a good opportunity, if one had to keep the topic of parenthood, to explore parental projections against pure acceptance and care: because they don’t know that Joe is the father, the couple who take Sugar into their homes as almost an adoptive daughter let her be who she is, although trying to steer her away from prostitution.
There are very strong moments, but they often feel like driftwood floating at the surface of things: Pearl discovering her body, her beauty, could be such an intimate and profound moment but it just “brings her back” as if things were that simple.
Nevertheless, the impeccable style of the book and the originality of the characters, despite what I mentioned make for a good read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Sexual content
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