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TW/CW: child death, lynching (doesn’t happen but is mentioned for a chunk), a race riot/massacre happens (this is a historical fiction novel about a real event so maybe looking into that will help show you more details), n word usage

5/5. It was a 4.5 on writing, but the ending made me cry so by default a 5.

The first 25% was a slow buildup, but once the novel got going I was sucked into it. I actually liked the variety of POVS we got in this (thought the racists took up far too much of it imo, but I can also see why the author made that choice). The interactions that the characters have are also great. Like just seeing how certain characters interact is so interesting to read. It was also interesting to see how white supremacy progressed in this town. As well as a lot of comparisons between the whites and blacks and how that shows how racism is completely invalid.

The mystery/family drama that happens in the later half also got me pushing along in a rush since I wanted the facts (though it is obvious I wanted CONFIRMATION!). I can also see why the ending is the way that it is, though I would’ve like a slight change to it. Because you reap what you sow.

debraporowski's review against another edition

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4.0

I picked this up when I heard for some students in my school district this was the first book by a black author they read in school. I found the book a bit disjointed, and I didn’t even really get “into” the story until the second half. But it was an interesting look into the lives and people living in the South at the turn of the century. I learned about the Wilmington Race Riots for the first time. There is so much history that we never learned.

acchristopher14's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

zofizy's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

msand3's review against another edition

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5.0

4.5 stars. Another classic page-turner from Chesnutt that remains starkly relevant in the United States in 2020: the political machinations to suppress black votes, the separate justice systems for whites and blacks, the structural design of white supremacy built into the very fabric of America's social order, the extrajudicial violence against black bodies, and the view of rioting whites as noble, while any response or self-defense from blacks is seen as criminal. It feels all-too-familiar for Americans today. As with [b:The House Behind the Cedars|1109977|The House Behind the Cedars|Charles W. Chesnutt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348596821l/1109977._SY75_.jpg|1510261], Chesnutt’s ending is melodramatic, although we understand there can be no other way to end a narrative that hinges on such extreme, generations-long outrages. It’s the best I’ve read from Chesnutt and makes me want to seek out his under-appreciated final novel.

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