Scan barcode
silver_lining_in_a_book'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
4.75
Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe. There is no gift for the beloved. The lover alone possesses his gift of love. The loved one is shorn, neutralized, frozen in the glare of the lover’s inward eye.
I think the quote above speaks for itself. There is no wonder that Toni Morrison is so beloved amongst both book readers and those who do not tend to read quite as often. This book is so moving, striking and shocking. Being Morrison's debut novel, I get the sense that she has not yet come into herself as a writer, but the writing is gorgeous nonetheless and accomplishes exactly what the author sets off to achieve from the start (according to the author's note). For the time in which it is written, this book and its narrative are exceptionally innovative, the language is exciting and memorable, and the characters are multidimensional and complex.
Overall, I am disappointed that I did not read this sooner. Morrison is an absolute treasure!
Graphic: Excrement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Sexual content, Racism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Addiction, Mental illness, Classism, Religious bigotry, Drug use, Child abuse, Bullying, Misogyny, Incest, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, and Hate crime
vvaanneessssaa's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Abandonment, and Racial slurs
ahaines18's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Cursing, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Racial slurs, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, Rape, and Sexual harassment
purple_converse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Violence
gingermouse'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? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Rape
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Fatphobia, Sexual content, and Slavery