Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

156 reviews

chelseea's review

adventurous challenging tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Minor: Rape

aliciawithoutkeys's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Violence

mattyvreads's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Just a perfect novel. This was my second time reading through, and it was just as powerful as the first read. 

Zora Neale Hurston’s words are pure poetry. The story is a beautiful and complex character study, above all else. I would not change a thing. Who would?

Scholars agree that it is one of the finest books ever written, but since I am not a scholar, I’ll simply say that it is one of the best books I’ve ever read.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, and Slavery

Moderate: Animal death, Mental illness, and Terminal illness

mcclintock1808's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-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? It's complicated

3.5

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a good book about the life of Janie. It covers important messages of unequal power balances, jealousy, and unfairness. Covers a wonderful story about finding love and what you want in life. Good book altogether, just wasn’t my type.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Rape

quietabyss's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Slavery

michealasharp's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Violence

filmnoirz's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

zora neale hurston had such a way with words and was able to convey the complexity of black identity along with self-discovery. so so good.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Violence

melodyramirez's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

Very similar themes to the color purple. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

jayisreading's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

Hurston was well ahead of her time, creating a protagonist like Janie. It’s not to say that headstrong female characters didn’t exist in the past, but I could imagine some readers at the time might have been scandalized due to Janie’s fierce independence and the time she spent with three different men, which was so unabashed, I loved it.

It was a bit difficult to get into the writing style at first, but after a few chapters, the novel became an even richer text that beautifully shared the Black South’s language and culture. In addition, there was a lot to think about in this novel, ranging from race (and, relatedly, colorism) to gender/sexuality to the legacy of slavery. All of these were inevitably tangled up with one another, which added so much detail to an already rich story.

It took way longer than it should have for me to have picked this one up, and while I didn’t completely enjoy the story in general, Hurston gave so much to the reader to contemplate. This is absolutely a book that’s worth reading closely, and I can see why it’s assigned to students so regularly in the United States.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism

Minor: Rape and Slavery

glorifiedloveletters's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad 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

I am both glad that I read this as a full-on adult, so I could properly appreciate it, and that I read it via audiobook, narrated by Ruby Dee, who does an excellent job with all the different voices.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death

Minor: Gun violence