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joneva's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content, and Suicide
Minor: Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Pregnancy
reb_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
bookreviewsgr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Rape, Suicide, and Abortion
devreighreads's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Death of parent, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Car accident, Fatphobia, and Infertility
onmalsshelf's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Grief, Infertility, and Infidelity
kelsielovesbooks's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Gun violence, Medical content, and Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
At the end, I found myself wanting more from those other relationships, but I appreciate what the author was doing in focusing only on the mothers, mainly because she does it so well. She's an excellent writer, and her words drew me in again and again as she explored how much motherhood affects these characters' lives. There are absent mothers, both by death and by physical location, there are overbearing mothers, there are nosy mothers, there is the desire to be a mother, there is the decision to be a mother or not. I liked that the book wasn't trying to make a statement about motherhood, one way or the other. It's up to the reader to draw your own conclusions.
I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as I loved The Vanishing Half, but I'll also be thinking about these characters and their choices for a while. I read this for my book club, and we had a great discussion about it.
I'm looking forward to whatever Brit Bennett writes next!
Read if you like: small towns, character-driven stories, Greek chorus.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Child death
Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, and Sexual content