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willowbiblio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
5.0
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About 5 pages into this I was reminded of why Toni Morrison is one of my favorite authors of all time. Her use of themes is so clearly intentional and wonderfully worked throughout. The way disparate narratives and lives are weaved together seamlessly into a cohesive main plot was stunning. The reverberations of all actions and relationships was well executed.
As I read, I was continually reminded of Ibn Khaldun's philosophy of asabiyyah- the theory of the rise and fall of civilizations in 3 generations. How each generation viewed the other generations in Ruby echoed this theory almost to a T, and the society ultimately began its decline- shown through the crumbling of both relationships and the Oven, just as in the theory.
Connie's hatred of the women in the house was completely unexpected, as was her tie to the Morgans. The women dancing in the rain was a kind of baptism and cleansing, and I found it beautiful. I really loved the shifting timeline and Toni's approach to low/no context writing. Toni handled extremely sensitive topics like domestic violence and rape so respectfully.
I thought it was interesting how each woman's story began as "she", and as they got closer to arrival to the Convent their names and selves became more fully formed for the reader, almost like it was causative. Overall just an incredible book that gave so much.
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Rape
Minor: Misogyny
poisonenvy's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
This book, the last in Morrison's loose Beloved trilogy, takes place in the late 60s and early 70s, shortly after the civil rights movement ended. It takes place in the black town of Ruby, where the town elders look only to the past despite the fact that the younger town members keep trying to move toward the future, and the convent, just outside of town, where race doesn't seem to exist (and, in fact, the race of the characters who live there are kept deliberately vague).
This book tackles racism, colourism, and sexism in a stark way, with the poetic language highlighting, rather than diminishing, the horror that all three of those come with. It's not told linearly, and deals with a huge cast of characters, and so it takes some paying attention to really follow it (made even more difficult by the fact that I listened to most of it on audiobook. Morrison reads in way that really highlights how poetic her writing really is, and does not change her voice for dialogue or to differentiate different characters speaking, which also made it a little difficult for me, and I found myself needing to listen to some passages multiple times to fully absorb it, but it did make sure that I was paying A Lot of attention while listening), and it's absolutely worth it.
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Gun violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, Sexual violence, Murder, Mental illness, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual assault, Rape, Domestic abuse, and Racial slurs
Minor: Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, and Eating disorder
mysimas'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
Beautiful prose, intriguing characterisation of very flawed people, the amazing all-woman convent (or coven?) made it a worthwile read regardless, and reread might grant more clarity. Powerful, brilliant book.
Graphic: Abortion, Car accident, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Confinement, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Murder, Self harm, Terminal illness, Infertility, and Racism
Moderate: Child death, Incest, Physical abuse, and Rape
Minor: War and Slavery
michaelion'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
4.0
It's beautiful. You can feel where she wanted to go with this book, and the fact that where she wanted to go ended up changing as she wrote, and in Miss Morrison fashion the end is just as marvellous as her other work. I won't put spoilers but there are so many elements in this book that blend together so well, so wonderful, so black and beautiful...
The alternate name for the book War would not have been so fitting as the title of Paradise. The idea of paradise inherently comes with complication and the town of Ruby embodies that. The plights of the characters, even the climax and the ending. So black and beautiful. Miss Morrison girl, you did it again.
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Classism, Abortion, Misogyny, and Infidelity
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Pedophilia, and Racism
Minor: Incest
meggs1005's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual violence
racheldelaney's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Placeholder until I can articulate a better review other than “sometimes it’s the roots that turn a bad crop and not the weather”. Wow.
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Sexism
Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Infertility, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and War