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lost_between_the_pages 's review for:
When the Reckoning Comes
by LaTanya McQueen
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"What if we resisted further, refusing to stop? What if we clamored and yelled, fought in every way we could? And what if we weren't alone? What if it was all of us together rising? Can you imagine it? Can you imagine what we could do?"
a beautiful quote that I believed had one meaning but the further I got along, I saw it was more of a division than anything. I have thoughts on this story but I'm unsure of how to give them without them being taken wrong. When I first started this book, I couldn't put it down... then the middle slowed way down, and then even at the end I thought it was going to somehow pick up and in a way it did... this is classified as horror and it absolutely is, just a different type of horror than most books in this genre. The things slaves went through are absolutely horrific - stories that should be told and needs to be heard because their voices deserve it. I'm not sure how to properly express my feelings on how it portrays certain people NOW, in today's world, and I don't think I have a right to speak on it because I don't witness or go through the things that other races do. This story is a hard and uncomfortable one... I guess I just wish things were different TODAY and I wish we could move forward with a more positive, unified outlook. If you take the quote above and look at it as all races coming together, to fight the hate, the racism, the abuse and unfairness that people unfortunately do still have to endure on a daily basis (although nothing like they used to)... if we could all see each other as simply humans of this earth and not be defined by race or sex or anything else other than just being human -- if we could learn to lean in with love and bare minimum respect of each other's uniqueness that makes this world beautiful -- we would be in a much better place in the world. It breaks my heart that people still feel like they are treated like those in this book, and it breaks my heart that people who are ancestors of hateful and sick people who did these types of disgusting acts are looked at like they are their ancestors and treated like they are one in the same... I understand that there is still hate in the world -- no matter my feelings on any of it, that will never go away... hate will always be there. But, it shouldn't be ASSUMED that just because someone is white - they are racist. And it shouldn't be ASSUMED that because someone is black they are less than or deserving of this type of unfairness and treatment. this type of thinking will only hurt further generations when what matters is NOT someone's skin color (one they had NO choice in) or sex (another choice not given) but someone's heart... their actions. We need to stop viewing one another as this or that but just respect one another as humans who are doing their best to make it through each day in a world that isn't fair or kind most days. we have to be better than our ancestors and we have to teach our children to see with their hearts - not their eyes. Honestly, if we all lead our lives the way children do before they are taught to hate, this world would only see love. I watch my children with other kids of different races and although yes, they hAve questions on why they look different, etc they don't judge someone by their skin color or say they don't want to be friends with them because they are different... they want to be friends BECAUSE they are different. imagine if we were all the same color, same culture, same everything... how boring would this world be? Everyone's differences and uniqueness is what makes this world beautiful.
It's such a heavy topic, especially in today's world, and because I am a white woman, my words and thoughts can be taken as insensitive or ignorant and I promise that is not what I am trying to say. I just want better for my children, my friends, who are more family than some of my own blood, of different races children who deserve absolutely nothing less than any other child of this world. I want better for every single human in this world. I want more LOVE, more RESPECT, more KINDNESS, more COMPASSION, more POSITIVE outlooks on the world. These stories told in this book are important and need to be heard because at one point this WAS a reality.. we need these stories told so we can learn and be better than those before us. I just wish the book had ended in a more positive light and not felt like we are still living in the times of our ancestors and maybe that does make me ignorant but I want to believe that we have and are making progress in how we treat one another and not moving backwards. I just want so much more for this world and the one life we are given. .
Just prepare yourself for an uncomfortable read (as it SHOULD be) and just know that this isn't a horror story like most in the genre but one of true, real life horror that so many had to live through. Also, for anyone who has hatred in their hearts for any other human on this earth I pray that God can change your hearts and mind. Lean in with love, respect, and understanding that we are all the same underneath and we should NEVER judge one another for the skin we wear. And if I upset anyone over my thoughts and opinions on this book -- please let me know, in a respectful manner. I try everyday to be a better person than I was the day before and I am open to learning and understanding how certain things I say may affect how others feel and I never, ever want to come off as disrespectful or hurtful with any of my words.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Ghandi
a beautiful quote that I believed had one meaning but the further I got along, I saw it was more of a division than anything. I have thoughts on this story but I'm unsure of how to give them without them being taken wrong. When I first started this book, I couldn't put it down... then the middle slowed way down, and then even at the end I thought it was going to somehow pick up and in a way it did... this is classified as horror and it absolutely is, just a different type of horror than most books in this genre. The things slaves went through are absolutely horrific - stories that should be told and needs to be heard because their voices deserve it. I'm not sure how to properly express my feelings on how it portrays certain people NOW, in today's world, and I don't think I have a right to speak on it because I don't witness or go through the things that other races do. This story is a hard and uncomfortable one... I guess I just wish things were different TODAY and I wish we could move forward with a more positive, unified outlook. If you take the quote above and look at it as all races coming together, to fight the hate, the racism, the abuse and unfairness that people unfortunately do still have to endure on a daily basis (although nothing like they used to)... if we could all see each other as simply humans of this earth and not be defined by race or sex or anything else other than just being human -- if we could learn to lean in with love and bare minimum respect of each other's uniqueness that makes this world beautiful -- we would be in a much better place in the world. It breaks my heart that people still feel like they are treated like those in this book, and it breaks my heart that people who are ancestors of hateful and sick people who did these types of disgusting acts are looked at like they are their ancestors and treated like they are one in the same... I understand that there is still hate in the world -- no matter my feelings on any of it, that will never go away... hate will always be there. But, it shouldn't be ASSUMED that just because someone is white - they are racist. And it shouldn't be ASSUMED that because someone is black they are less than or deserving of this type of unfairness and treatment. this type of thinking will only hurt further generations when what matters is NOT someone's skin color (one they had NO choice in) or sex (another choice not given) but someone's heart... their actions. We need to stop viewing one another as this or that but just respect one another as humans who are doing their best to make it through each day in a world that isn't fair or kind most days. we have to be better than our ancestors and we have to teach our children to see with their hearts - not their eyes. Honestly, if we all lead our lives the way children do before they are taught to hate, this world would only see love. I watch my children with other kids of different races and although yes, they hAve questions on why they look different, etc they don't judge someone by their skin color or say they don't want to be friends with them because they are different... they want to be friends BECAUSE they are different. imagine if we were all the same color, same culture, same everything... how boring would this world be? Everyone's differences and uniqueness is what makes this world beautiful.
It's such a heavy topic, especially in today's world, and because I am a white woman, my words and thoughts can be taken as insensitive or ignorant and I promise that is not what I am trying to say. I just want better for my children, my friends, who are more family than some of my own blood, of different races children who deserve absolutely nothing less than any other child of this world. I want better for every single human in this world. I want more LOVE, more RESPECT, more KINDNESS, more COMPASSION, more POSITIVE outlooks on the world. These stories told in this book are important and need to be heard because at one point this WAS a reality.. we need these stories told so we can learn and be better than those before us. I just wish the book had ended in a more positive light and not felt like we are still living in the times of our ancestors and maybe that does make me ignorant but I want to believe that we have and are making progress in how we treat one another and not moving backwards. I just want so much more for this world and the one life we are given. .
Just prepare yourself for an uncomfortable read (as it SHOULD be) and just know that this isn't a horror story like most in the genre but one of true, real life horror that so many had to live through. Also, for anyone who has hatred in their hearts for any other human on this earth I pray that God can change your hearts and mind. Lean in with love, respect, and understanding that we are all the same underneath and we should NEVER judge one another for the skin we wear. And if I upset anyone over my thoughts and opinions on this book -- please let me know, in a respectful manner. I try everyday to be a better person than I was the day before and I am open to learning and understanding how certain things I say may affect how others feel and I never, ever want to come off as disrespectful or hurtful with any of my words.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Ghandi
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Classism