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ehmannky's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a hard book. The characters are hard through necessity, the protagonist Sigourney is honestly downright unlikable, and her participation in a system of slavery poisons her belief in the righteousness of her cause, and there's very little opportunity for love to bloom. It's a tough read, especially since Callender doesn't shy away from (nor do they revel in, which was a nice change from books by white authors that use slavery) the worst parts of slavery and they are very clear that Sigourney is not a good person. But I also feel like all of this leads it to being such a good book. I'd recommend getting a version of the book with the "extras" in the back to read Callender's Q&A about their story. I thought their discussion that they wanted to create a work about complicity with such a damaging system and that they wanted to have a book that dealt with privilege and complicity and reflecting on their own privilege and complicity in oppressive systems.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcoholism and Pedophilia
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