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alylentz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
3.0
This was definitely a quick read that keeps you turning the pages, but I didn't always buy fully buy into some of the dialogue and relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Slavery
whatiskatelynreading's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Racism, Slavery, Genocide, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, and Police brutality
bodiesinbooks's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Addiction, Blood, Excrement, and Forced institutionalization
aubreylane's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Racism, Gun violence, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Addiction and Police brutality
Minor: Emotional abuse, Grief, and Slavery
bookishnatalia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Kidnapping, Xenophobia, and Violence
Minor: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Gun violence
melpomeny's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i have a lot of thoughts and i need some time to put them together but this was perfect, terrifying and very very real.
***
EDIT FROM A FEW HOURS LATER
I want to start off by saying that this book is not only relevant right now but also timeless. Many times current times events were paralleled to events of the past and A. Cole cemented that history repeats itself. With the recent events- and most speicifically the real gentrification case of Breonna Taylor that hasn't yet seen any substantial justice- you are terrified by this story because the events are- as I said in my initial statement- very real and plausible. As seen in the Additional Reading Material chaoter of the book Cole referenced factual historical moments.
After a hard few days where I couldn't really get through any reading and I had only read I think the first 25 or so pages I the rest of them I sped through in less than 8 hours. I was so anxious about what would happen to Sydney and the community of Gifford that I couldn't out this down at all. I was almost in a daze. The writing style I feel really sucked you in from thr very beginning with the emotional first person narrative filled eith Sydney's love for her community, realistic approach to situations and sadly, a lot of self-doubt. The format choices along with the flawless characterization ultimately made Sydney a tangible person with virtues and vices, likes and dislikes who's not just a mere vessel for the plot.
On that aspect the characterization in general went really in depth and no character's journey felt as though it was solely there to serve Sydney because I feel like Sydney could have also been the side-character to one of her other neighbours' stories- the way Theo, the other POV character whose narration flowed naturally- but her position was the one that offered a more enriched version of the story. And while she was by a turn of events turned (lol) into the protagonist she wasn't a mere vessel for the plot.
Furthermore, I think it provided a very fruitful ground for discussions about faux allyship and how people in positions of power dehumanize the rest of us. It really delved into how certain actions can still be racist even if a person won't explicitly state something is racism which has been harder and harder in this age of policing language just for the sake of a performance. Cole didn't tiptoe around anything.
A piece of dialogue I want to emphasize in this review is the following:
“Listen to all this capitalist talk,” Miss Ruth says with a head toss. “What we need is revolution.”
“Ruth, you own five houses. Don’t even start,” Candace says severely.
“Your head would be the first on the block on this block.” Ruth shrugs. “I play on the game board I’m given, Candace. At least if I sell four of the houses, maybe I’ll be able to pay the property taxes on the fifth. They can pry my house from my cold, dead fingers.”
Throughout the whole story this is something you really see and a lot of (privileged) people who view any kind of ownership under capitalism as evil would benefit from understanding that the only way some of us can have stable "wealth" is through means of accumulating and holding for our own without that putting us on the same pedestal as evil capitalists.
Moreover, I want to warn everyone that there is a lot of gaslighting and to tell mostly Black people- but also as an afterthought others who have been on the short end of the stick that is power manipulation- to proceed with caution and take care of yourselves while reading this.
Lastly, I want to close this by saying this is a story of how community is important and surrounding yourself with a supporting one is necessary for survival, success and retaining your humanity. Our heroine, rightfully, has felt very alone her whole life due to a general mistrust generated by a system that hates her very existence and her biggest shortcoming is how she refuses to ask for help- which, again, I don't blame her for because it's normal and even encouraged for her to be careful as many real examples have proved it true. And at the end of the day all that's left to ask ourselves- without any academic terminology or analysis- is "do I care about other people?"
***
EDIT FROM A FEW HOURS LATER
I want to start off by saying that this book is not only relevant right now but also timeless. Many times current times events were paralleled to events of the past and A. Cole cemented that history repeats itself. With the recent events- and most speicifically the real gentrification case of Breonna Taylor that hasn't yet seen any substantial justice- you are terrified by this story because the events are- as I said in my initial statement- very real and plausible. As seen in the Additional Reading Material chaoter of the book Cole referenced factual historical moments.
After a hard few days where I couldn't really get through any reading and I had only read I think the first 25 or so pages I the rest of them I sped through in less than 8 hours. I was so anxious about what would happen to Sydney and the community of Gifford that I couldn't out this down at all. I was almost in a daze. The writing style I feel really sucked you in from thr very beginning with the emotional first person narrative filled eith Sydney's love for her community, realistic approach to situations and sadly, a lot of self-doubt. The format choices along with the flawless characterization ultimately made Sydney a tangible person with virtues and vices, likes and dislikes who's not just a mere vessel for the plot.
On that aspect the characterization in general went really in depth and no character's journey felt as though it was solely there to serve Sydney because I feel like Sydney could have also been the side-character to one of her other neighbours' stories- the way Theo, the other POV character whose narration flowed naturally- but her position was the one that offered a more enriched version of the story. And while she was by a turn of events turned (lol) into the protagonist she wasn't a mere vessel for the plot.
Furthermore, I think it provided a very fruitful ground for discussions about faux allyship and how people in positions of power dehumanize the rest of us. It really delved into how certain actions can still be racist even if a person won't explicitly state something is racism which has been harder and harder in this age of policing language just for the sake of a performance. Cole didn't tiptoe around anything.
A piece of dialogue I want to emphasize in this review is the following:
“Listen to all this capitalist talk,” Miss Ruth says with a head toss. “What we need is revolution.”
“Ruth, you own five houses. Don’t even start,” Candace says severely.
“Your head would be the first on the block on this block.” Ruth shrugs. “I play on the game board I’m given, Candace. At least if I sell four of the houses, maybe I’ll be able to pay the property taxes on the fifth. They can pry my house from my cold, dead fingers.”
Throughout the whole story this is something you really see and a lot of (privileged) people who view any kind of ownership under capitalism as evil would benefit from understanding that the only way some of us can have stable "wealth" is through means of accumulating and holding for our own without that putting us on the same pedestal as evil capitalists.
Moreover, I want to warn everyone that there is a lot of gaslighting and to tell mostly Black people- but also as an afterthought others who have been on the short end of the stick that is power manipulation- to proceed with caution and take care of yourselves while reading this.
Lastly, I want to close this by saying this is a story of how community is important and surrounding yourself with a supporting one is necessary for survival, success and retaining your humanity. Our heroine, rightfully, has felt very alone her whole life due to a general mistrust generated by a system that hates her very existence and her biggest shortcoming is how she refuses to ask for help- which, again, I don't blame her for because it's normal and even encouraged for her to be careful as many real examples have proved it true. And at the end of the day all that's left to ask ourselves- without any academic terminology or analysis- is "do I care about other people?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Gun violence, Police brutality, Violence, Hate crime, Gore, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Slavery, Addiction, and Blood
Minor: Toxic relationship
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