Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

13 reviews

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

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

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, and Classism

Minor: Animal death and Rape

marenm's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective tense 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

2.5

really interesting story but so slow and drawn out 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Adult/minor relationship

stindex's review

challenging dark slow-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Racism, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

charliebites's review

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Death, Emotional abuse, and Racism

Minor: Mental illness, Hate crime, Chronic illness, Dementia, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, and Rape

akaspiderlily's review

adventurous emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.75

A story where Janie’s own terms of love are set and fixed by her and her alone, and in that way it’s revolutionary. Beautifully written, and an ode to the cultural color of the south and its mighty strong women’s wills. It’s a coming of age story as riveting as anything modern. It warmed my heart to read it and know that there was someone as frilly-natured of a writer as me in the 1930s. You’ve got to live to have a life worth loving, and you’ve also got to love to have a life worth living.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting and Domestic abuse

Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Murder, Racism, Rape, and Sexism

alexisgarcia's review

emotional reflective sad 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

a very good book, especially considering when it was written. it was way ahead of its time. the characters were incredibly realistic. they were lovable but definitely flawed. this book could’ve been nonfiction because of how real and natural the characters and plot were. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Violence, Murder, Sexism, Terminal illness, Gaslighting, Racism, and Toxic relationship

bringmybooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-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

Another classic read - via audio - in 2023 and I'm so glad it was Their Eyes Were Watching God!

✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷

The audio of this novel is absolutely stunning and I cannot recommend it highly enough - Ruby Dee does a phenomenal job narrating Janie's voice and story and I was swept up in the novel from pretty much the first chapter.

I loved the exploration of race, family, and community in the post slavery American South, and had a lot to think about upon finishing this book. I appreciated the vernacular that was used throughout, but definitely think I would have struggled with this had I not been listening to the audio. 

Janie's story was heartbreaking but also so beautiful and full of hope. I both loved and hated how things turned out at the end, and can absolutely see why this novel and Zora Neale Hurston's writing has stood the test of time.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Classism, Gaslighting, Sexism, Racism, Slavery, Animal death, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Death, Racial slurs, and Terminal illness

taviarz's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny reflective 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

Loved this book. I think it made me feel every emotion possible while still adding complex issues and narratives 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexism, Death, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Rape and Animal death

zombiezami's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Classism, Emotional abuse, Grief, Violence, Medical content, Animal death, Death, Misogyny, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Murder

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Racism, Racial slurs, Fatphobia, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Colonisation, Drug abuse, Rape, and Blood

Natural disasters, Colorism, Eugenics