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_inge_'s review against another edition
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This book is both technically well written and packs an emotional punch as well. The number of ways that our main character Lutie is taken advantage of and being kept back is astounding. It makes the ending somewhat understandable - although also quite abrupt. But maybe that's just me being brainwashed in needing / expecting happy endings all around. Life doesn't always have happy endings.
The men in this book are all utter crap, except Bub. Talk about preying on women and seeing them as objects to be manipulated and obtained at will. The women only seem to be able to survive in some sort of comfort when they lend themselves to play along in the games the men play, even if it means oppressing other women. It's eat or be eaten it seems.
Essential reading.
The men in this book are all utter crap, except Bub. Talk about preying on women and seeing them as objects to be manipulated and obtained at will. The women only seem to be able to survive in some sort of comfort when they lend themselves to play along in the games the men play, even if it means oppressing other women. It's eat or be eaten it seems.
Essential reading.
Graphic: Misogyny and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Murder and Sexual harassment
mariaviola's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-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
4.5
“from the time she was born, she had been hemmed into an ever-narrowing space, until now she was very nearly walled in and the wall had been built up brick by brick by eager white hands.”
after finishing the street, all i can say is that this was a heartbreaking read, and what made it so heartbreaking was all of its honesty. there is no sugarcoating here—here is the story of a poor black single mother living in the 1940s and the things she goes through in trying to build a better life for her and her son. it’s raw and painful and some characters you will just want to hug and others you will want to beat the sh*t out of. it’s not very fast-paced but it’s a must-read in my opinion.
→ my rating ♡ 4.5/5 stars ←
after finishing the street, all i can say is that this was a heartbreaking read, and what made it so heartbreaking was all of its honesty. there is no sugarcoating here—here is the story of a poor black single mother living in the 1940s and the things she goes through in trying to build a better life for her and her son. it’s raw and painful and some characters you will just want to hug and others you will want to beat the sh*t out of. it’s not very fast-paced but it’s a must-read in my opinion.
→ my rating ♡ 4.5/5 stars ←
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment
bjdarby's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Stalking
Minor: Alcoholism and Infidelity
ohlhauc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I really, really enjoyed reading this book and can see why it's revered as a American classic.
First off, it is gorgeously written. The melody and structure of the writing flows smooth until there are moments of tension or violence, whereby the writing shifts to reflect the terror and trauma. The dialogue also felt natural. I liked how the author did use first- and second-person when she was sharing the inner thoughts of the protagonist, showing how Lutie was thinking of herself in those moments.
And then the story itself is well-constructed and the build-up to the climax is a slow-burn. You can see characters and forces creeping closer to a collision, and that tension compels you to read forward. The specific moments and the underlying themes and ideas showing racism, sexism, and classism - their separate moments but also how they're an interconnected web that feeds each other into a never-ending cycle of oppression was haunting and head on. You could feel the weight on the protagonist's shoulders - as well as the other characters - and how their society, and the street they lived on, were moulding their destinies.
The ending was heartbreaking but also made the most sense even if it's probably not the one you would want.
If you care about reading great classics, you have to pick this up. I also highly recommend it for anyone who's interested in the Harlem Renaissance, stories about poverty and intersectional oppression (racism, sexism, classism), or even if you're into a story with lots of tension, twists, and brutal hard facts.
First off, it is gorgeously written. The melody and structure of the writing flows smooth until there are moments of tension or violence, whereby the writing shifts to reflect the terror and trauma. The dialogue also felt natural. I liked how the author did use first- and second-person when she was sharing the inner thoughts of the protagonist, showing how Lutie was thinking of herself in those moments.
And then the story itself is well-constructed and the build-up to the climax is a slow-burn. You can see characters and forces creeping closer to a collision, and that tension compels you to read forward. The specific moments and the underlying themes and ideas showing racism, sexism, and classism - their separate moments but also how they're an interconnected web that feeds each other into a never-ending cycle of oppression was haunting and head on. You could feel the weight on the protagonist's shoulders - as well as the other characters - and how their society, and the street they lived on, were moulding their destinies.
The ending was heartbreaking but also made the most sense even if it's probably not the one you would want.
If you care about reading great classics, you have to pick this up. I also highly recommend it for anyone who's interested in the Harlem Renaissance, stories about poverty and intersectional oppression (racism, sexism, classism), or even if you're into a story with lots of tension, twists, and brutal hard facts.
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, and Grief
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