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coziebookclub's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
“That was the thrill of youth, the idea that you could be anyone. That was what had captured her in the charm shop, all those years ago. Then adulthood came, your choices solidifying, and you realize that everything you are had been set in motion years before. The rest was aftermath.”
Brit Bennett’s work certainly should not go unnoticed. Family values, two generations of love and pain, and each character’s journeys immediately captured a place in my heart. I became very invested with each new chapter introducing another character’s point of view. Every individual battled with identity one way or another and it was very important for Bennett to highlight their struggles with race, colorism, gender, abuse, and growing up. The cultural and historical context provided was also significant in giving the reader a sense of what kind of world these women have to live in and adjust to, especially with the time jumps between each generation and different parts of the book. Normally, I would find time skips and multiple-character POVs too stressful or hard to keep up with, but I felt very connected to each character and had no trouble with the multiple POVs. It was extremely satisfying to see the generations come together and fit like a puzzle as their lives crossed through happenchance. This book will certainly stick with me and is a reminder that you can always give yourself a chance to grow and find yourself no matter how far you are in life.
Brit Bennett’s work certainly should not go unnoticed. Family values, two generations of love and pain, and each character’s journeys immediately captured a place in my heart. I became very invested with each new chapter introducing another character’s point of view. Every individual battled with identity one way or another and it was very important for Bennett to highlight their struggles with race, colorism, gender, abuse, and growing up. The cultural and historical context provided was also significant in giving the reader a sense of what kind of world these women have to live in and adjust to, especially with the time jumps between each generation and different parts of the book. Normally, I would find time skips and multiple-character POVs too stressful or hard to keep up with, but I felt very connected to each character and had no trouble with the multiple POVs. It was extremely satisfying to see the generations come together and fit like a puzzle as their lives crossed through happenchance. This book will certainly stick with me and is a reminder that you can always give yourself a chance to grow and find yourself no matter how far you are in life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexism and Hate crime
turidt's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Racism, Racial slurs, Death of parent, and Dementia
Moderate: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Violence
jhabelita's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
1.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
euhfubeuh's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Stalking
imaginefishes's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
The book delves into topics of racism and racial segregation, but my main takeaway from the story was about one's desire and attractedness to the possibility of change and metamorphosis. I deeply enjoyed the writing style and characterisation used in the story, and as the separate stories of each individual began to intertwine with each other, culminating in a grand intersection in the final few chapters, I teared up a little. Strangely enough, what stuck out to me most were the parents of the twins, and the two very different deaths they experienced, one more violent and the other more melancholic . I find this book, although fictive and possibly a little unrealistic, reflects well our human desires to be something more, or even to be someone else. I'm glad the book ended the way it did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, and Gaslighting
Minor: Dysphoria and Bullying
jluv1220'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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
sighclopss's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.75
A very thought provoking book, I'd rate it closer to 4.75⭐
This was such an interesting read with compelling characters, my main let down was the ending wasn't enough for me. I could have easily read another 200+ pages! I still have so many unanswered questions! But I understand with this type of philosophical story there can't ever really be a satisfying ending.
I found the topic of colorism/racism and being biracial intriguing. Cultural identity vs ethnic. The theme of 'passing.' It had many confronting themes, some I related too, others that helped further expand my world view.
This was overall a complicated story, I felt like the author did the complexity justice. The writing style flowed easily, and I loved every second of reading it.
This was such an interesting read with compelling characters, my main let down was the ending wasn't enough for me. I could have easily read another 200+ pages! I still have so many unanswered questions! But I understand with this type of philosophical story there can't ever really be a satisfying ending.
I found the topic of colorism/racism and being biracial intriguing. Cultural identity vs ethnic. The theme of 'passing.' It had many confronting themes, some I related too, others that helped further expand my world view.
This was overall a complicated story, I felt like the author did the complexity justice. The writing style flowed easily, and I loved every second of reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Classism, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Colonisation, Slavery, Medical content, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Deadnaming
rachelagurley's review against another edition
challenging
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Death of parent and Racial slurs
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Dementia, and Alcoholism
hannahjacobsen's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really really wanted to like this book, so I picked it up again after not being able to finish it in the past. It was slow, with no clear plot order and hopped back and forth between years and storylines, which at first I thought was interesting, but I ended up just finding it more difficult to follow.
I think what ultimately left me disappointed with this book is that although it hit on so many different important topics, including racism & colorism, domestic violence, LGBTQ+, classism, Alzheimer’s and more, I felt like it barely scratched the surface of these topics and that there were so many undeveloped characters and plot lines. I expected the book to dive deeper into Desiree’s relationship with her abusive ex husband, Reese’s life as a trans man, what ended up happening with the Walker family across the street and whether Loretta ever found out Stella’s truth (I could go on and on)… but every time I thought the book was going to dive deeper into these storylines, it transitioned to a new one.
Ultimately, I got to the end and felt like there was no closure. Stella seemingly got away with a lifetime of lies with no consequences, and we never find out where her life ends up. I suppose that’s the allure of these books to some people, but I got to the end and felt like the 350+ pages didn’t give me near enough.
I’m giving three stars for a diverse cast of characters, a unique premise and a combination of some really powerful topics.
I think what ultimately left me disappointed with this book is that although it hit on so many different important topics, including racism & colorism, domestic violence, LGBTQ+, classism, Alzheimer’s and more, I felt like it barely scratched the surface of these topics and that there were so many undeveloped characters and plot lines. I expected the book to dive deeper into Desiree’s relationship with her abusive ex husband, Reese’s life as a trans man, what ended up happening with the Walker family across the street and whether Loretta ever found out Stella’s truth (I could go on and on)… but every time I thought the book was going to dive deeper into these storylines, it transitioned to a new one.
Ultimately, I got to the end and felt like there was no closure. Stella seemingly got away with a lifetime of lies with no consequences, and we never find out where her life ends up. I suppose that’s the allure of these books to some people, but I got to the end and felt like the 350+ pages didn’t give me near enough.
I’m giving three stars for a diverse cast of characters, a unique premise and a combination of some really powerful topics.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
nanaakuaanim's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism