Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

Beloved by Toni Morrison

11 reviews

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense

4.5


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silverthorn's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad slow-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? Yes

3.5


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toyosibeedotmp4's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


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thebristolreader's review against another edition

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challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0


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mle11's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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michaelion's review

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emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

4.5

My eyes flew across the page. For once I have nothing to say.

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marissasa's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

Beloved is deeply somber and at times painful. It's Toni Morrison's most well-known book and after reading it I can see why. It's full of tension and grief and symbolism, all reflecting to themes of how our pasts shape our present and future. It doesn't shy away from any of the harsh realities of slavery and how even for survivors of enslavement, their memories and trauma of torture will forever live within them even as they try to forge new identities as free colored people in their own communities. Sethe's past literally haunts her through the form of Beloved, a character that was fascinating in that she constantly bent the line between ghost of a dead child and reincarnation of a living child and as a reader you are left wondering which she is throughout the whole narrative. I am glad that I read this story and definitely want to continue reading Morrison's other books. The literary style and elegant writing she uses reflect her talent and free-thinking mind as an author who paved the way for Black writers and Black historical books to this day.

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coco_5's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

this book is an amazing piece of literature. a classic. a tragic story
that does end in a hopeful light
stunning writing, reads like poetry.

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fiveredhens's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

favorite quotes:


She shook her head from side to side, resigned to her rebellious brain. Why was there nothing it refused? No misery, no regret, no hateful picture too rotten to accept? Like a greedy child it snatched up everything. Just once, could it say, No thank you? I just ate and can’t hold another bite?

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laurenleigh's review

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-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? Yes

4.5

There’s no denying that Toni Morrison is a genius. The way she turns words on a page into rhythmic, lyrical, beautiful music is completely wild. I often sat back and wondered to myself how someone could come up with this text! It’s so unique and genre-bending. It was, however, pretty hard for me to follow. Probably shouldn’t have read it as my bedtime book. I tried the audio, but gave up real quick. The plot lines were way too nonlinear and subtle for me to follow by listening. I understood most of it, but it took me a long time to get through it, and I’m sure some points went over my head. I was struck by how much it felt like a play, mainly because almost all the action takes place in one setting, the 124 house. So many lines are sharply condensed with lots of emotion, adding to the dramatic feel. The other note that’s sticking with me is how Morrison frames the big exciting moments. There’s two turning points in particular, scenes with the most violence, but both happen “off stage.” The reader only hears about them after the fact, through others’ accounts. Leaving these scenes more to the imagination gives them even more power and strength. By no means is this an easy read, but it’s a classic for a reason.

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