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planreadrepeat'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism and Gun violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, Drug use, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
jessbedwards99's review
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism
fionac326's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism and Violence
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Murder, Racial slurs, and Racism
julied's review
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, and Violence
amressing's review
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism and Addiction
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, and Racial slurs
babybearreads'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? Yes
4.0
The book opens with our main character, Deacon Cuffy Lambkin, aka Deacon King Kong, aka Sport coat, shooting the streetcorner drug dealer, an act he does not remember (because he was wasted drunk) upon a young man he knew very well, even coached in baseball. Then even more question marks come into play in this 1969 Brooklyn neighborhood -- will the local drug kingpin get back at Sportcoat for killing his guy? Where is the treasure hidden that Tommy Elefante has to find, one that his father held onto for decades? Where did Sportcoat's wife, now deceased, hide the church Christmas gift money?
It is a wild ride watching all these threads unravel, full of so much heart and love for humanity. You'll laugh (there are some amazing slapstick scenes) and you'll cry -- McBride gives you a window into this community and I didn't want to leave at the end.
The folks in this neighborhood are not protected or cared for by the systems of America, and they know this. As they see the signs of things about to get worse, not better, the residents of the Cause housing project choose to be a family and support each other despite everyone's flaws, to face and survive -- perhaps thrive -- in this world TOGETHER. This book is hard to put into words, but I couldn't recommend it more.
Moderate: Alcoholism and Gun violence
sarahlovesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism
keatynbergsten's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Addiction, Gun violence, and Drug abuse
This book got so much hype and just didn't live up to it for me. While I did enjoy the book I think I may have liked it more if I weren't expecting so much.annareads9898's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Police brutality, and Rape
rachel_b_824's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Child abuse