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gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Gun violence and Physical abuse
Minor: Rape and Slavery
thebookgiraffe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Slavery
Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, and Animal death
anxiousbeauty96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I like that Hurston decided to to write the dialogue in Southern dialect but it did make it hard to read at first. Once I got the hang of it, it got easier. It’s a great read. I highly recommend.
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death, Misogyny, Gun violence, Slavery, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Racial slurs
henrib11's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Terminal illness, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Bullying, Body shaming, Classism, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Hate crime, and Racism
Minor: Medical trauma, Slavery, Violence, Confinement, Gun violence, and Addiction
themichellegray's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
A poetic book that celebrates language and the power of finding your voice while simultaneously offering a look at feminism in the 1930's. I originally read this in my high school english class and still find the written preservation of Black American's dialect at the turn of the twentieth century to be the most memorable part of the story.
While this book follows Janie throughout stages of womanhood and details her romantic relationships, I wouldn't classify this as a romance. Instead it is a slower paced journey of self-discovery while living in a highly misogynistic and racist world. While Tea Cake's character was flawed, he brought so much joy into an otherwise challenging novel and I couldn't help but admire him.
This is definitely a story that is meant to be deeply analyzed and discussed (which would make for a great book club pick). While I was able to grasp the overall symbolism and metaphors, the writing style often became dull which removed me from the narrative leaving me a little lost.
The content of this book can be difficult to consume but offers such a hopeful message that is sure to make you reflect on your own life, appreciate the progress that has been made since its publication, and help to understand how our language has evolved and intertwined over time.
Original Read (2007) - 5 stars
Graphic: Sexism, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Death, and Racism
Moderate: Gun violence, Grief, and Slavery
Minor: Rape, Alcohol, Abandonment, Animal death, and Sexual harassment
halaagmod's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Racism, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Misogyny, Death, and Classism
Minor: Rape, Slavery, and Animal death
mattyvreads's review against another edition
- 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
Zora Neale Hurston’s words are pure poetry. The story is a beautiful and complex character study, above all else. I would not change a thing. Who would?
Scholars agree that it is one of the finest books ever written, but since I am not a scholar, I’ll simply say that it is one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Gun violence, Slavery, and Sexism
Moderate: Animal death, Terminal illness, and Mental illness
teaselkie's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Slavery
melodyramirez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Classism, Cursing, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
jayisreading's review against another edition
4.0
It was a bit difficult to get into the writing style at first, but after a few chapters, the novel became an even richer text that beautifully shared the Black South’s language and culture. In addition, there was a lot to think about in this novel, ranging from race (and, relatedly, colorism) to gender/sexuality to the legacy of slavery. All of these were inevitably tangled up with one another, which added so much detail to an already rich story.
It took way longer than it should have for me to have picked this one up, and while I didn’t completely enjoy the story in general, Hurston gave so much to the reader to contemplate. This is absolutely a book that’s worth reading closely, and I can see why it’s assigned to students so regularly in the United States.
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Death, Racism, Domestic abuse, and Sexism
Minor: Rape and Slavery