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monica32's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
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
4.75
winniewonders's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-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
siggy89's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Awful! The writing is just a jumble of words and nonsense - the key “themes” are harrowing but not really given focus to play out. The narration jumps from character to character but never giving a complete timeline or picture of events/reality.
Not sure how this is pegged as a classic read…really not my writing style and a slog to get through in more ways than one.
Not sure how this is pegged as a classic read…really not my writing style and a slog to get through in more ways than one.
astratton1027's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
4.5
sleeplikewolves's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
katyab's review against another edition
4.0
I have no idea how to understand this book, and part of me thinks that's a good thing. Beloved can't be boxed. It's difficult, elusive, slow, but all of those things are extraordinary: the language just eats itself with how winding and powerful it is; at times I wondered whether I was genuinely confused at what was happening, others, I wondered whether the point was to be confused. (I had Sparknotes open on my phone just to make sure...)
Of course, it's incredibly disturbing. Not just with the ghost and then the physical presence of Beloved herself, but with the current of slavery running through everything. In the soundtracks of horror films, there are often such low-frequency sounds that can't be heard but actually put people on edge. It's like that. Just a horror that's there all the time, and then it lifts its head to a point where I heard it clearly, when reading Morrison's descriptions of slavery and torture and punishment, of the racism still existing, before it drops away (but doesn't disappear).
This was hard to read, and it should be hard. Still, I was hesitant to pick it up again whenever I put it down, which is probably why it took me so long to get through, and I'm relieved that it's over. I felt the pressure to feel something more than I did, because this is one of the great American works, and yet I didn't feel like I'd had the breath knocked out me by the end. But then again, maybe it's like Piranesi, and the slow-burning after-feeling is just as valid as being blown away.
But I'm glad I've read it; I felt it was necessary to read it. It's going to gnaw at my bones.
Of course, it's incredibly disturbing. Not just with the ghost and then the physical presence of Beloved herself, but with the current of slavery running through everything. In the soundtracks of horror films, there are often such low-frequency sounds that can't be heard but actually put people on edge. It's like that. Just a horror that's there all the time, and then it lifts its head to a point where I heard it clearly, when reading Morrison's descriptions of slavery and torture and punishment, of the racism still existing, before it drops away (but doesn't disappear).
This was hard to read, and it should be hard. Still, I was hesitant to pick it up again whenever I put it down, which is probably why it took me so long to get through, and I'm relieved that it's over. I felt the pressure to feel something more than I did, because this is one of the great American works, and yet I didn't feel like I'd had the breath knocked out me by the end. But then again, maybe it's like Piranesi, and the slow-burning after-feeling is just as valid as being blown away.
But I'm glad I've read it; I felt it was necessary to read it. It's going to gnaw at my bones.
robyn1998's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed this. It was extremely dark and shocking as well as being informative. Some parts had my heart speeding up.
jilianh's review against another edition
My library hold expired. Will return to this in future hopefully
eslsilver's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Slavery, and Rape
soap123's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.5