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zas9's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Infertility
mwmakar's review
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Abortion, Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, and Emotional abuse
bookdragon217's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
"Women were cursed, Kimberly had decided then: their own bodies didn't even belong to them."
Pleasantview by Celeste Mohamed was on of my favorite reads for Caribbean Heritage Month. This was a propulsive read that I devoured on my plane ride home from vacation. Each short story didn't feel disconnected from the next but instead added more layers to the full picture. Mohamed has solidified herself as an auto-buy for me from now on. All I can say is "What a debut!"
Reading this one made me think about the expression "All that glitters isn't gold." Often time people go on vacation to escape their real.life but never once think about the daily lives of people that live in the places where they vacation. It is easy to forget real life when you are lost in the allure of resort life but just steps away from these places is where you find the reality of life in these places. Mohamed's writing grips you and you won't be able to look away because what she says in these pages is powerful and challenges what you thought you knew about Caribbean island life.
Mohamed does this by giving you a glimpse into the life of the residents of imaginary town Pleasantview. Not only did Mohamed show you Trinidadian life but she also interrogates heavy themes and call outs the things that need to change. The stories felt cohesive and the characters were complex. The core themes that intersected with the characters were:
🇹🇹 sex trafficking
🇹🇹 violence against women
🇹🇹 colorism
🇹🇹 homophobia in the Caribbean
🇹🇹 mixed race heritage
🇹🇹 diversity of island culture
🇹🇹 sexuality and identity
🇹🇹 social stratification
🇹🇹 myth of tourism benefiting residents
🇹🇹 dominance of religion, misogyny & patriarchy
🇹🇹 allure & falsehood of the American dream
🇹🇹 reality of immigration process for Black Caribbean people
🇹🇹 ancestral ways of wisdom
If you haven't read this one yet, then what are you waiting for? Mohamed is already a commanding voice in Caribbean literature and one that I am looking forward to reading more from.
Pleasantview by Celeste Mohamed was on of my favorite reads for Caribbean Heritage Month. This was a propulsive read that I devoured on my plane ride home from vacation. Each short story didn't feel disconnected from the next but instead added more layers to the full picture. Mohamed has solidified herself as an auto-buy for me from now on. All I can say is "What a debut!"
Reading this one made me think about the expression "All that glitters isn't gold." Often time people go on vacation to escape their real.life but never once think about the daily lives of people that live in the places where they vacation. It is easy to forget real life when you are lost in the allure of resort life but just steps away from these places is where you find the reality of life in these places. Mohamed's writing grips you and you won't be able to look away because what she says in these pages is powerful and challenges what you thought you knew about Caribbean island life.
Mohamed does this by giving you a glimpse into the life of the residents of imaginary town Pleasantview. Not only did Mohamed show you Trinidadian life but she also interrogates heavy themes and call outs the things that need to change. The stories felt cohesive and the characters were complex. The core themes that intersected with the characters were:
🇹🇹 sex trafficking
🇹🇹 violence against women
🇹🇹 colorism
🇹🇹 homophobia in the Caribbean
🇹🇹 mixed race heritage
🇹🇹 diversity of island culture
🇹🇹 sexuality and identity
🇹🇹 social stratification
🇹🇹 myth of tourism benefiting residents
🇹🇹 dominance of religion, misogyny & patriarchy
🇹🇹 allure & falsehood of the American dream
🇹🇹 reality of immigration process for Black Caribbean people
🇹🇹 ancestral ways of wisdom
If you haven't read this one yet, then what are you waiting for? Mohamed is already a commanding voice in Caribbean literature and one that I am looking forward to reading more from.
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Trafficking, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation
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