Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

57 reviews

rudaamela's review

emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Grief

Minor: Animal death, Death, and Alcohol

corabookworm's review

emotional reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

Read this for a Women's Lit class and really enjoyed it. It's short and quick, written in an intriguing writing style, and packed with tons of emotion. Parts of it were uncomfortable to read, just because of the blatant racism and sexism, but I think that's also kind of the point. Good book overall!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Death and Physical abuse

Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Cursing, Gun violence, and Rape

booksnart2023's review

challenging emotional inspiring sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Animal death

cielosiluminado's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.0

this was probably one of the few classics i actually enjoyed to read when i was in high school. then i remembered writing a paper on it when i took women’s literature in college and got such high marks in it, i was so proud. it’s been over 5 years since i last read this and i decided to pick it up again for my monthly classic of 2024.

prior to first reading this book years ago, i dreaded it because the title made me think it was going to be religious, which i avoid in books. once i read it, i quickly realized that it is not religious. it’s a fantastic, metaphorical tale of a black woman’s life in the early 1900s in southern usa and her search for independence.

truly, hurston’s writing is incredible. there is a reason why she is now regarded as one of the greats. in this book, the way she wrote janie (the main character) and her life’s journey throughout the story is detailed magnificently.

that being said, despite how much i loved it at first i have to admit, somehow i overlooked something in my first reads back then that i cannot even begin to justify now.

He slapped her around a bit to show he was boss.

janie having survived in two horrible, abusive marriages before she was even 30 made me root for her love life so much. she then gave it another shot with tea cake later on in her life, which was a gamble she bravely took. i was a fan of tea cake and the way he loved janie until chapter 17 where he hit her because of his own fears and jealousy and because it made him feel more secure as a man. i had to lower my rating because of it. like the justifications/explanations in the story were dumb as hell and everyone just moves on? big sigh.

at the end of the day, i just wanted janie to have her happily ever after everything she went through. and she did, by herself. she constantly defied expectations to gain her freedom and independence, remained fierce despite all the struggles she faced, and was unapologetically herself until the end. i admire her to this day.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, and Misogyny

Minor: Alcoholism, Rape, and Slavery

redheadorganist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Infidelity, and Grief

Minor: Rape

rosalovo's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Death

Moderate: Racial slurs and Violence

Minor: Sexual assault

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and Classism

bimboliciousame's review

adventurous emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.25

It was really good! I really liked the pacing which is rare for me. The ending felt like a plot twist but not like it was completely out of nowhere. I really liked how it was written without political claims because it leaves room for discussion while still pushing the readers’ thoughts. The narrator constantly asks questions which forces active reading onto the readers which is amazing. However,

the circumstances of Tea Cake’s death felt random although the fact that he ended up dead didn’t. I mean it could be implied that Tea Cake would die because of Janie’s past relationships. But, the fact he died via rabies by a dog in a hurricane felt so random.

But, i also believe it could’ve been an element of good being unpredictable and unstoppable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Animal death and Rape

historyoftape's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

5.0

There are so many good things packed into this story. A rich understanding if culture and language, characters that grow or are stifled depending on their environments, social, economic and political commentary, great dialogue, captivating imagery... It's a book that had me deeply invested in the main character's goals, dreams, and growth, where I loved the side characters, and where, while I may not have made similar decisions, I could understand and even support Janies decisions because I understood that they were the right path for her. The ending was heartbreaking and real, hurt me in a good way. It's been a while since I read a book that finished this strongly.

The way Janies words were so rare in the beginning of the story, to how confident and free in speaking she is by the end was one of the most striking things to me. One of the most effective but subtle ways to show her growth I have encountered in a while. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Blood, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Minor: Addiction

jinmichae's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation and Classism

Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief

Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, and Miscarriage