Reviews tagging 'Incest'

Paradise by Toni Morrison

2 reviews

mysimas's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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 one kinda flew over my head. It’s packed with paralels and symbolism, and the ending can be interpreted many possible ways (or maybe just one way, but I’m too dense to nail it down).

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.

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Content Warnings

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

mysterious 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

4.0

I keep finding myself speechless after reading Toni Morrison, so instead of saying "Girl, you did it again," I'll try to leave a proper review this time.

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.

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Content Warnings

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