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akaspiderlily's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
Moved my heart and my spirit. I am always in search of the stories that speak to who I descend from, facing the horrors and thankful for my current blessings. We black womenfolk are all women of endurance, mothers, daughters, sisters, chosen by each other.
winterreader40's review against another edition
4.0
We follow Pola, jumping around in time a little from when she's originally enslaved and through her time on two different plantations in Puerto Rico. On the first she is used as a breeding slave and after being tossed away after a particularly brutal beating she comes to on a new plantation where no one touches her and she works in the sewing hut and the kitchen as she slowly heals physically and even more slowly mentally.
This is a harsh read especially in her memories and how hard it is for her to accept physical touch because of how her life has gone since being enslaved, but I liked that Simon was so kind and gentle helping her as he could and waiting for her.
TW: slavery and rape
This is a harsh read especially in her memories and how hard it is for her to accept physical touch because of how her life has gone since being enslaved, but I liked that Simon was so kind and gentle helping her as he could and waiting for her.
TW: slavery and rape
raquelmozart_123's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
omg__gigi's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This was a great story. It tells a story of slavery that is often overlooked. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because I felt the ending was rushed. Overall, I would recommend this book!
elvira73's review
5.0
@dahlmallanosfigueroa groundbreaking novel A WOMAN OF ENDURANCE is about the little known history of the slave trade in Puerto Rico. Pola is an African young woman that is captured and sold to be used to produce more slaves. She is systematically raped and made to carry and deliver children she will never raise. Pola is a deeply spiritual person that after surviving such dehumanizing treatment, loses her faith and becomes bitter and defeated. Ultimately, she finds a new community that supports and accepts her; they manage to break down her defenses and this allows her to eventually accept these as her family. What starts off as ugly and bleak becomes a story of compassion, friendship, healing and love. This book is not for the light-hearted, there is barbaric violence inflicted on our black brothers and sisters throughout the text. But I also think it is important we learn about our history as it truly was. Also, the author's depiction of grief was so impactful and real. This is a beautifully written book of historical fiction; I am grateful to the author for writing our stories.
#bipocstories #latinaauthor #afrolatinestories #womanofendurance #dahlmallanosfigueroa
#bipocstories #latinaauthor #afrolatinestories #womanofendurance #dahlmallanosfigueroa
jessential_reads's review
4.0
** thank you NetGalley and Amistad Publishing for giving me an early copy in exchange for my honest review **
This was a beautiful and vibrant story, filled with descriptive passages and full of emotion. Describing the sorrow, anguish, and oppression that Pola, our main character, had to endure ( hence Woman of Endurance) she is found nearly drowning and beaten to a pulp and taken to a Hacienda where the healer helps her with her wounds, however, Pola has already been through so much that it becomes hard for her to trust anyone. She now finds herself within a slave community that although serve as workers and servants of the estate they are still given a resemblance of a life. For Pola, this is something new as she has only lived in the most deplorable conditions. Slowly and unsure Pola starts to learn that there can be some light in the midst of her dark times and will restore faith in people and herself.
The book goes back and forth from the main story giving us Pola's background, starting with being taken from her village to the cruelties she encountered on the boat to Puerto Rico and being sold to a ruthless owner where she was sexually exploited for breeding purposes. This book gives a hard look and an honest but sad view of the Slave trade of the time. The descriptions are very vivid and hard to read sometimes but it's what makes this author an excellent storyteller.
*Check trigger warnings before reading this book
This was a beautiful and vibrant story, filled with descriptive passages and full of emotion. Describing the sorrow, anguish, and oppression that Pola, our main character, had to endure ( hence Woman of Endurance) she is found nearly drowning and beaten to a pulp and taken to a Hacienda where the healer helps her with her wounds, however, Pola has already been through so much that it becomes hard for her to trust anyone. She now finds herself within a slave community that although serve as workers and servants of the estate they are still given a resemblance of a life. For Pola, this is something new as she has only lived in the most deplorable conditions. Slowly and unsure Pola starts to learn that there can be some light in the midst of her dark times and will restore faith in people and herself.
The book goes back and forth from the main story giving us Pola's background, starting with being taken from her village to the cruelties she encountered on the boat to Puerto Rico and being sold to a ruthless owner where she was sexually exploited for breeding purposes. This book gives a hard look and an honest but sad view of the Slave trade of the time. The descriptions are very vivid and hard to read sometimes but it's what makes this author an excellent storyteller.
*Check trigger warnings before reading this book
passionyoungwrites's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
“Most times we can’t change what done to us. But we can fight. I know you know a little something about that, the not giving up part. I know you a fighter ‘cause you still here.”
🌺
The story starts out with Pola on a plantation in Puerto Rico on the night she decides to run. That was a first for me, action at the very beginning of the story is always a win.
The story follows Pola as she is sold to a sugarcane plantation, one with owners that don’t usually punish their slaves harshly. Though that seems to be a relief, there are many other things that become worries.
🌺
Pola is met by the healer Rafina, when she arrives. Due to extreme bruises from her previous plantation, she experiences leniency here and eventually makes friends - though the enemies always come first.
After a while Pola allows the truths that she has pushed aside long ago to settle into her thoughts. The truth that The Mother, Yemaya, from her original Yoruba upbringing has never left her - but has actually answered the prayer she prayed when she ran the first night.
🌺
The story gives an outlook from Pola’s past, being taken from her village, her journey to the auction block and the trauma she encountered from child birth and dealing with her previous plantation that forced their slaves to breed.
Seeing Pola change and accept that love is possible was a beautiful thing. Being a slave narrative, this was a very enjoyable read.
🌺
The story starts out with Pola on a plantation in Puerto Rico on the night she decides to run. That was a first for me, action at the very beginning of the story is always a win.
The story follows Pola as she is sold to a sugarcane plantation, one with owners that don’t usually punish their slaves harshly. Though that seems to be a relief, there are many other things that become worries.
🌺
Pola is met by the healer Rafina, when she arrives. Due to extreme bruises from her previous plantation, she experiences leniency here and eventually makes friends - though the enemies always come first.
After a while Pola allows the truths that she has pushed aside long ago to settle into her thoughts. The truth that The Mother, Yemaya, from her original Yoruba upbringing has never left her - but has actually answered the prayer she prayed when she ran the first night.
🌺
The story gives an outlook from Pola’s past, being taken from her village, her journey to the auction block and the trauma she encountered from child birth and dealing with her previous plantation that forced their slaves to breed.
Seeing Pola change and accept that love is possible was a beautiful thing. Being a slave narrative, this was a very enjoyable read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Torture, Child death, and Slavery
liisu's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0