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566 reviews for:
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf
Ntozake Shange
4.29 AVERAGE
566 reviews for:
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf
Ntozake Shange
4.29 AVERAGE
I started to get into the flow of what this poem/play is doing in the last third or so, and I appreciated it a lot more from that point forward. I think if I reread the whole thing I would probably "understand" it more, having grown accustomed to its style and themes. But I also think this probably works 150% better onstage, and I would be interested in seeing it performed to get the full impact.
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
This choreopoem is somewhere between a poetry collection and a play. I found the introduction in this new updated edition incredibly helpful, because while I feel like I have seen this book around and been aware of it for ages, I didn't really know anything about it. The introduction described how this grew from a collection of poems into a performance piece, and then how it was updated over time.
This book is that harrowing kind of beautiful, that gives dignity by bearing witness to people living through difficult/impossible situations, that recognizes people fighting for their joy where they can find it, people surviving how they can.
The introduction also places the work in time, from its very beginnings in the mid-seventies to the way audience reactions have changed over time, to the legacy it has created for itself.
If it isn't clear, while I would have enjoyed this collection without the introduction, that context and history increased my understanding/connection/enjoyment of this piece several-fold.
This is beautiful but difficult. Please check the content warnings.
Recommended for fans of The Vagina Monologues, Shonda Rhimes, The Color Purple
This book is that harrowing kind of beautiful, that gives dignity by bearing witness to people living through difficult/impossible situations, that recognizes people fighting for their joy where they can find it, people surviving how they can.
The introduction also places the work in time, from its very beginnings in the mid-seventies to the way audience reactions have changed over time, to the legacy it has created for itself.
If it isn't clear, while I would have enjoyed this collection without the introduction, that context and history increased my understanding/connection/enjoyment of this piece several-fold.
This is beautiful but difficult. Please check the content warnings.
Recommended for fans of The Vagina Monologues, Shonda Rhimes, The Color Purple
emotional
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment
Minor: Islamophobia, War
Absolutely stunning work and nothing short of brilliant. "No assistance", "Sorry" and "No More Love Poems" (1-4) were incredibly effective and rich but "Latent Rapists'" and "A nite with beau willie brown" absolutely gutted me. You know what I can't pick a favourite monologue because I loved them all.
I will revisit this play time and time again. What a gorgeous text.
I will revisit this play time and time again. What a gorgeous text.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Painful, powerful. I loved the writing style. I’m sure I didn’t get everything of this book. But this is a powerful sad ride on words. Stories. Lives. It’s too much about men, if you would ask me. But don’t ask me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Misogyny, Rape, Violence
Moderate: Homophobia
challenging
emotional
reflective
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
inspiring
medium-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
still powerful today
Still relevant today as well. Will need to see if I can watch the Tyler Perry version of it. Quick read, but heavy and beautiful too.
Still relevant today as well. Will need to see if I can watch the Tyler Perry version of it. Quick read, but heavy and beautiful too.