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destinado_marjuice's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
emdear's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.75
beeagus's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
slow-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? No
3.5
nouveau's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
gspiller's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
fast-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? No
3.5
pwig's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
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? Yes
2.5
marjandincharge's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A challenging and heart-wrenching read, but well worth finishing! Carlos Bulosan's writing is poetically descriptive. I learned so much about America and myself while reading this book. Highly recommend this to any Filipino, but also to any American trying to better understand the country's history. Very Grapes of Wrath-eqsue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Moderate: War, Violence, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Trafficking
agnesjlopez's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual assault, Grief, Hate crime, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Sexism, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, and Kidnapping
Moderate: War
wesley_sq's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5
Hits you right in the heart. Vividly captures life in the Philippines, poverty and being an immigrant.
This is not a love letter to any culture, It’s not a glorification of poverty either. Everyone and everything, even the author, are very much flawed. No one is a paragon of morality here, it’s just tragically filled with people.
As someone coming from a very similar background, minus the violence thankfully enough, this book is a new perspective. I’ve never been much informed about the specifics of violence and discrimination that my roots suffered and Bulosan gives a very personal and moving account on that. I’ve always only known the general and sweeping accounts from that era and so I became almost disconnected from it. But Bulosan puts you in the first person perspective, right in the moment with him. You feel the confusion, anger, disappointment, pity, serenity and peace right with him.
This is such an emotionally taxing and informative experience and would definitely delve more into the literature of that era.
Hits you right in the heart. Vividly captures life in the Philippines, poverty and being an immigrant.
This is not a love letter to any culture, It’s not a glorification of poverty either. Everyone and everything, even the author, are very much flawed. No one is a paragon of morality here, it’s just tragically filled with people.
As someone coming from a very similar background, minus the violence thankfully enough, this book is a new perspective. I’ve never been much informed about the specifics of violence and discrimination that my roots suffered and Bulosan gives a very personal and moving account on that. I’ve always only known the general and sweeping accounts from that era and so I became almost disconnected from it. But Bulosan puts you in the first person perspective, right in the moment with him. You feel the confusion, anger, disappointment, pity, serenity and peace right with him.
This is such an emotionally taxing and informative experience and would definitely delve more into the literature of that era.
monkeyjess's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75