crankylibrarian's reviews
1699 reviews

The Red and the Black by Stendhal

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Three of the most aggravating, juvenile protagonists in literary history. 

In Every Mirror She's Black by Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström

emotional reflective tense 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

3.75

3 African and African American women struggle to find a place for themselves in the insular homogenous culture of Sweden. Calls into question the idealized Nordic paradise: the “happiest place in the world”  may not be so happy for those of darker hue.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, and Islamophobia

Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew by Avi Shlaim

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Sobering portrait of an Iraqi Jewish family forced by collusion between Zionists and Arab nationalists to emigrate to Israel, and their shoddy and often abusive treatment there. 

Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield, Dorothy Canfield Fisher

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

An absolute delight. After leaving her fretful, helicopter parenting guardian, Elizabeth Ann discovers the joys of independence , self reliance and family fun with her small town relatives.

Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America by John McWhorter

challenging informative medium-paced

1.5

Cynical, disingenuous takedown of Robin deAngelo’s “White Fragility” and Ibram Kendi’s  “Stamped from the Beginning” and “How to Be an Antiracist”

Promise by Rachel Eliza Griffiths

dark emotional reflective 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Death of parent, Bullying, Racism, Child death, and Child abuse

The Art of Ruth E. Carter by Ruth E. Carter

informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

Everyman by M. Shelly Conner

emotional 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

3.25

Family history, LGBTQ, Black history, family secrets 

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

Hell, ivy league, supernatural, 

The Snapper by Roddy Doyle

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Ireland, pregnancy, family, fathers and daughters