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maggie_atwood's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
ayecharnae's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ecsalamanca's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this. Brit Bennett’s writing style just sucks you into the story it’s as if you’re living inside that world. I like that this was told from the perspective of the church ‘mothers’ because they never really figured Nadia out- she’s the FMC yet even by the end of the book we haven’t really gotten to the core of who she is. It felt like we got to know Aubrey and Luke better. But i think that was the point, she was always at arms length because of her own trauma. I’m not crazy about how the story ended but i enjoyed the story as a whole so much i can let it slide. 5 stars
l8yk8y's review against another edition
Too much focus on suicide, not great for my own mental health.
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
This was a stunning and heartbreaking exploration of grief, trauma, and growing up in the midst of it all. It delved into some serious topics, but they were all done very well. This book shows the struggle of trying to live up to the expectations of others while still trying to fit in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Suicide, Abortion, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Ableism, Infertility, Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Child abuse and Sexual harassment
jeaniinabottle's review against another edition
4.0
Well the last line was (I think unintentionally?) creepy, but otherwise I thought this book was great. A poignant meditation on mothers - what it means to be one, to have one, and even just to act like one. The fact that motherhood can come before you're ready for it and your mother can disappoint you but leave you with surrogate ones.
Dramatic, intense, and very touching.
Dramatic, intense, and very touching.
hawkia75's review against another edition
3.0
A very self-assured debut about a love triangle, motherless girls, and growing up under the eyes of a tight-knit, church-going community. I liked the conceit of the church mothers as Greek chorus. I thought it gave the author a chance to indulge (in a good way) in a vernacular and rhythm that I would have missed. It helped me establish a context for the story to live in without having the author delineate a lot of other characters.
dbluminberg's review against another edition
4.0
A very well written first novel, tells the story of three young people, each of whom has their own personal sadness that colors and influences how they interact with their community and each other. This story is somewhat sad, not a major tragedy, but just sad in the depiction of people and their loneliness.
waifofthenorth's review against another edition
5.0
The first half of this book made me cry pretty much continuously. Read with a box of tissues. :'(
edenali's review against another edition
2.0
It was unclear to me whether the author knew what story she wanted to tell.