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sydapel's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really loved how beautifully the prose in this novel flowed from one sentence to the next. It won't be for everyone, but for me it really captured the languorous feeling of being a teenager - the anticipatory waiting followed by sudden and unexpected heartbreak or hurt. I also loved the way Woodson weaves religion, motherhood and coming of age moments into the story. The only thing I felt was missing was primarily a moment of resolution with our main character in the present day.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence
dee_hzz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Grief, Murder, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Death
alyssamakesart's review against another edition
hopeful
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
Even though the plot itself is very minimal - Woodson’s bueatiful writing keeps me coming back.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Racism, Dementia, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Religious bigotry and Gun violence
melaniereadsbooks's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-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
4.25
This book was such an interesting and well-written novella. I was able to read this in practically one sitting and it flew by.
I loved the character growth that happened in this memoir-esque fiction. It felt so real and I was definitely empathizing with the main character and her friends.
The writing in this book is absolutely beautiful. One thing I really loved about it was its repetition of memory, and how it played around that theme. There were some twists I didn't really see coming and the unreliability of the main characters memory really kept me on my toes.
Great and important story.
I loved the character growth that happened in this memoir-esque fiction. It felt so real and I was definitely empathizing with the main character and her friends.
The writing in this book is absolutely beautiful. One thing I really loved about it was its repetition of memory, and how it played around that theme. There were some twists I didn't really see coming and the unreliability of the main characters memory really kept me on my toes.
Great and important story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexism, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Rape, Racism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Grief
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