Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Human Origins of Beatrice Porter and Other Essential Ghosts by Soraya Palmer

5 reviews

valent1ne's review against another edition

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Racism

Moderate: Terminal illness and Rape

Minor: Cannibalism, Transphobia, and Incest

morethanmylupus's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was a great debut. It isn't light reading, but I really enjoyed getting to know Beatrice and Zora. The addition of Jamaican folklore and traditions was beautifully integrated into this story. The topics aren't light (domestic violence, racism, homophobia, illnesses, child abuse, infidelity, parent-child relationships) but it's beautifully done and compelling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Child abuse, and Racism

the_true_monroe's review

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.75

This book is a tough one to process, in a good way. I never read anything like it, where the narrator goes in between directly telling about the day to day lives or specific events that occurred in the lives of 2 sisters, their mother and father, to telling stories of mythical creatures (often the family would tell these stories), to combining both to where you were made to wonder what was meant to be part of a mythical retelling or was happening in the moment in terms of interactions of the mythical and magical creatures with the family.

The magical realism is used to address and emphasize experiences surrounding coming of age, cultural identity, gender and sexuality, racism, trauma and what I think was one of the most defining themes (as it interacted with each of the ones I mentioned prior): generational trauma. 

I found this books thanks to Storygraph’s Around The World Challenge- representing Trinidad (this book takes place in Brooklyn, NY, Jamaica and Trinidad).

Definitely will be looking for more written by this author to enjoy!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Death of parent, Cancer, and Abandonment

Moderate: Abortion, Vomit, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Murder, Torture, Dysphoria, Suicide, Dementia, Outing, Drug use, and Alcoholism

Minor: Pedophilia, Incest, Slavery, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Sexism, and Cultural appropriation

poisoned_icecream's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Child abuse, Misogyny, Abortion, Rape, and Racism

nini23's review against another edition

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

The opening is smashing and I like the cheeky cynical omniscient narrator. However, this novel reads young and the narrative unravels about two-thirds in. The folklore of Anansi, Dglo, the Rolling Calf, soucouyant and douen intertwine to make sense of life for a pair of American sisters with Jamaican Trinidadian heritage growing up in a chaotic household. Their home life is marred by domestic violence and infidelity by their father Nigel on their mother Beatrice.  The narrator from Anansi Stories promises to make us not hate the father by telling us more backstory. I still dislike Nigel for abandoning his first family and mother.

Let's talk about mothers. Being lgtb or a blocked young writer does not give teens an excuse to not be there for your mother.

Especially if she is terminally ill with cancer and wants to spend more time with you

Teenage angst does not eclipse everything. A lot of dramatics with little substance. The daughters weren't there to support their mother, the sisters didn't prop each other up, I am really not sure where the empowerment is.

There are a substantial number of lgtb characters - Harold (Nigel's brother is homosexual {his death still doesn't explain why Nigel is an ass}), Beatrice (I'm guessing she's bisexual or the lesbian part was beaten out of her by her mother), Sasha (lesbian or trans, unclear), Shay (trans)

I like the anti-colonial points made. That scene at the Jamaican restaurant is electric! 👍to the Trinidadian English dialogue.

Overall, I much prefer When We Were Birds by
Ayanna Lloyd Banwo. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Rape, Transphobia, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Cancer, Colonisation, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Racism