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dashboardlights24601's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Hate crime, and Gun violence
Moderate: Xenophobia, Violence, Sexual content, Colonisation, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Adult/minor relationship
ladydisdain's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is absolutely a difficult read in 2020, and it should be. In terms of the heart rending social story, I do think the musical is a bit more successful- doesn't suffer from as much 1970s Male Writer (tm tm tm) as the source material- but the overall lyrical, almost dream like quality of narration is worth the read if you're up for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Xenophobia
This is a book written in the 1970s about the relationship between affluent white families, poor black families, and Jewish immigrant families in the early 1900s. Whatever level of slurs and casual racism, anti-semitism, zenophobia, and sexism you are currently expecting is correct. It is also centered on an act of police brutality and the public response to an innocent black person's death. Unfortunately, Doctorow can now be considered ahead of his time in his handling of this subject as the mirror to current/recent instances of police brutality is polished bright. This book has as much potential to be intensely triggering as to be cathartic- if you're the kind of person who looks to fiction to get away from headlines, this book awaits a brighter world.
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