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raeviews's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Zora Neale Hurston's writing style is magical! Her figurative language is so beautifully crafted and the dialogue being written in dialect is immersive. I loved learning more about Florida during this time period and about Eatonville. Does a great job of discussing race and gender without centering victimhood. I love Janie's sense of self and her development as a character. Also, the ending is quite the page turner!
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Slavery
historyoftape's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-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
5.0
There are so many good things packed into this story. A rich understanding if culture and language, characters that grow or are stifled depending on their environments, social, economic and political commentary, great dialogue, captivating imagery... It's a book that had me deeply invested in the main character's goals, dreams, and growth, where I loved the side characters, and where, while I may not have made similar decisions, I could understand and even support Janies decisions because I understood that they were the right path for her. The ending was heartbreaking and real, hurt me in a good way. It's been a while since I read a book that finished this strongly. The way Janies words were so rare in the beginning of the story, to how confident and free in speaking she is by the end was one of the most striking things to me. One of the most effective but subtle ways to show her growth I have encountered in a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Gun violence, Murder, Confinement, Grief, Animal cruelty, Classism, Death, Blood, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Abandonment, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Violence, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Addiction
stindex's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Racism, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse
marygrabul's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Rape
charityc's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Misogyny
susanatherly's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Rape
Moderate: Abandonment, Body shaming, Animal cruelty, Violence, and Alcoholism
Minor: War
charliebites's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Death, Emotional abuse, and Racism
Minor: Mental illness, Hate crime, Chronic illness, Dementia, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, and Rape
jo245's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, and Terminal illness
jenhawkins's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
yajairat's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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? N/A
5.0
There is no way I would have appreciated the impact and importance of this book if I had read it when I was younger. To write this beautiful story about a Black woman learning to live her life on her terms IN THE 1930s?? Truly admirable, inspiring! A list of things that I enjoyed:
- Janie slowly finding her voice, and knowing when to use that voice by the end. She started off as being spoken for by her grandmother and first husband, to being free to speak her mind unprompted. By the time she returned to her old town, where everyone was speculating and expecting her to speak on what has happened since she left, she decided to just to tell her friend, giving her the option to tell her story if she wants to.
- Janie finding a love that made her feel alive in her 40s.
- Wouldn't say enjoy, but there were two thought provoking topics touched upon here: the legacy of slavery and colorism within the Black community.
- Overall, this book was written beautifully. It's a shame that Hurston's works were shuttered away from the world for years. I'm grateful that people like Alice Walker advocated for her and brought her writings back to the world, and still continue to be read to this day.
Some quotes:
"An envious heart makes a treacherous ear"
"Did marriage end the cosmic loneliness of the unmated? Did marriage compel love like the sun the day?.. she knew now that marriage did not make love"
"Janie's first dream was dead, so she became a woman."
"her image of Jody tumbled down and shattered. But looking at it she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. Just something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over." - the last sentence, perfectly encapsulates why a lot of relationships can fail
"Mah own mind had tuh be squeezed and crowded out tuh make room for yours in me" - Janie's first marriage was suffocating, but I was glad that it made her realize what she wants out of her life and to break away from her grandmother's expectations.
"All gods who receive homage are cruel. All gods dispense suffering without reason. Otherwise they would not be worshipped... half gods are worshipped in wine and flowers. Real gods require blood."
"they sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against crude walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God." - pre-hurricane scene. For some reason, while reading about the hurricane, I kept thinking of 1. this sort of great flood, the kind that you read about in a biblical text and 2. how vivid this imagery is and accurate it its depiction of its destruction as someone that is from a city that gets hurricanes.
"she was too busy feeling grief to dress like grief" - when Janie's first husband died, she wore black for months, but her grief was not as impactful as the second time (to the point where she couldn't even think to wear black). when I read this line it brought me back to the beginning, and the stark difference in those relationships.
"Love is lak de sea. It's uh movin' thing, but still and all, it takes its shaped from de shore it meets, and it's different with every shore." - beautiful way to end this novel
- Janie slowly finding her voice, and knowing when to use that voice by the end. She started off as being spoken for by her grandmother and first husband, to being free to speak her mind unprompted. By the time she returned to her old town, where everyone was speculating and expecting her to speak on what has happened since she left, she decided to just to tell her friend, giving her the option to tell her story if she wants to.
- Janie finding a love that made her feel alive in her 40s.
- Wouldn't say enjoy, but there were two thought provoking topics touched upon here: the legacy of slavery and colorism within the Black community.
- Overall, this book was written beautifully. It's a shame that Hurston's works were shuttered away from the world for years. I'm grateful that people like Alice Walker advocated for her and brought her writings back to the world, and still continue to be read to this day.
Some quotes:
"An envious heart makes a treacherous ear"
"Did marriage end the cosmic loneliness of the unmated? Did marriage compel love like the sun the day?.. she knew now that marriage did not make love"
"Janie's first dream was dead, so she became a woman."
"her image of Jody tumbled down and shattered. But looking at it she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. Just something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over." - the last sentence, perfectly encapsulates why a lot of relationships can fail
"Mah own mind had tuh be squeezed and crowded out tuh make room for yours in me" - Janie's first marriage was suffocating, but I was glad that it made her realize what she wants out of her life and to break away from her grandmother's expectations.
"All gods who receive homage are cruel. All gods dispense suffering without reason. Otherwise they would not be worshipped... half gods are worshipped in wine and flowers. Real gods require blood."
"they sat in company with the others in other shanties, their eyes straining against crude walls and their souls asking if He meant to measure their puny might against His. They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God." - pre-hurricane scene. For some reason, while reading about the hurricane, I kept thinking of 1. this sort of great flood, the kind that you read about in a biblical text and 2. how vivid this imagery is and accurate it its depiction of its destruction as someone that is from a city that gets hurricanes.
"she was too busy feeling grief to dress like grief" - when Janie's first husband died, she wore black for months, but her grief was not as impactful as the second time (to the point where she couldn't even think to wear black). when I read this line it brought me back to the beginning, and the stark difference in those relationships.
"Love is lak de sea. It's uh movin' thing, but still and all, it takes its shaped from de shore it meets, and it's different with every shore." - beautiful way to end this novel
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Domestic abuse