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its_kievan's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
About 150 pages of the best political writing that I've ever read. Unfortunately, it's buried beneath another 350 pages of mind-numbing nonsense about What It All Means and an insanely tedious romance between a rambling sociopath and a woman who's hit so hard by the Madonna-whore complex that it feels like satire. So, y'know, mixed feelings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
Minor: Gun violence
audiosuede's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Violence, Murder, Infidelity, Gun violence, Cursing, and Alcohol
malvord27's review against another edition
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I don't know how this book ended up on my to-read list. Years ago I wanted to read classics that we hadn't gotten to in school, so likely added it then. To my surprise this is a recent book! Maybe I just recognized the author's name and figured it must be a classic.
The good - the author can write. He can really turn a phrase. The storyline is moderately interesting. You follow a noble-hearted man who wants to change the world, becomes a different person when he has access to power, and you see a bit of his downfall.
The bad - man is this book long. So so long. Unnecessarily long. We explored so many different stories that were unrelated to the content we're presently exploring. The reader is not better informed by reading all these side stories. I should have put the book down because I was so frustrated with it, I definitely forced myself to finish it.
I'm not sure who I would recommend this to. The language is off-putting. The storyline is "meh" and relies on a lot of tropes. Maybe the storyline was revolutionary at the time, who knows, but now it seems fairly standard. We take side journeys that don't help the storyline at all and just add to the book's length.
The good - the author can write. He can really turn a phrase. The storyline is moderately interesting. You follow a noble-hearted man who wants to change the world, becomes a different person when he has access to power, and you see a bit of his downfall.
The bad - man is this book long. So so long. Unnecessarily long. We explored so many different stories that were unrelated to the content we're presently exploring. The reader is not better informed by reading all these side stories. I should have put the book down because I was so frustrated with it, I definitely forced myself to finish it.
I'm not sure who I would recommend this to. The language is off-putting. The storyline is "meh" and relies on a lot of tropes. Maybe the storyline was revolutionary at the time, who knows, but now it seems fairly standard. We take side journeys that don't help the storyline at all and just add to the book's length.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Trafficking, Slavery, Racism, and Racial slurs
reebeee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Lush prose and clever narration kept me reading this book to the end, despite it having no lovable characters for me to be invested it—as I told a friend, when I wasn’t actively reading it, I didn’t look forward to reading it, but as soon as I started reading it again I didn’t want to stop. Similar narrative and theme to The Great Gatsby and Citizen Kane; well-portrayed political intricacies in which no progress is made and you know you’re in for a depressing ending. Casual racism and misogyny abound.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Misogyny and Racism
Minor: Suicide, Slavery, Medical content, and Gun violence
michellehogmire's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
disreputabledog's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
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