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grayscale08'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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, and Colonisation
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Outing
amanda_hook's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Colonisation
annieinthearchives's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
gm_vak'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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
eloiseisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, and Infertility
stephbakerbooks'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? It's complicated
5.0
This is almost like a collection of short stories, with the thread of a family line connecting them to each other. And I loved following that line, seeing how what happened to their ancestors affected the new characters, and how so much of our lives are decided just by virtue of what family we’re born into.
It was an excellent book to listen to—though I am forever grateful for the PDF of the family tree that is included because I was referring to it constantly!
I loved Transcendent Kingdom by this author, but I think I loved this one even more, just because I’ve never read anything like this book. I’m excited for whatever Yaa Gyasi writes next!
Read if you like: character-driven stories, generational sagas, family trees, missed connections.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Trafficking
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Drug use, Infidelity, Rape, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
quirpele's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, and Trafficking
achingallover's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Grief
paigieodo's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
We all carry our families—the ones we know and the ones we don't—in ourselves. We are all traumatized by their traumas, imbued with their loves and their fears, holding all of their good and their bad as well as the good and the bad that was done to them. Yaa Gyasi understands this better than any other author I've encountered. Nothing speaks more to this than these words from the closing chapter:
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Racism, Slavery, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Blood
Minor: Homophobia, Excrement, and Kidnapping
deepfriedaries's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood, Kidnapping, and Grief