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kim_j_dare's review against another edition
5.0
Raw and haunting and beautiful. Leonie and Michael are parents who really shouldn't be; Leonie's dad Pop is trying to keep things together as he cares for Mam, who's dying of cancer; and 13-year-old Jojo is left to be mother and father to his toddler sister Kayla. Throw in a road trip to the state penitentiary and a couple of ghosts who are trying to find their way, and you have an unforgettable story of one family and the messiness of imperfect love.
shimmery's review against another edition
3.0
The story of a family struggling through life overshadowed by the tragic events of their past, Sing Unburied, Sing is a difficult book to read.
I really struggled with it, I think partly because it is so sad and partly because it is quite repetitive. I felt the first part from Richie’s point of view was the strongest and would have worked well as a stand-alone short story. There were real flashes of brilliance in this novel, some skilled storytelling where huge revelations were delivered in a subtle and controlled way, but these appeared in amongst a lot of slow reading.
I think partly the pace of it, it’s hopelessness and repetitiveness, reflects the way the characters live and so is intentional. But I just found my breath sort of slowly leaving me as I read and had to keep stopping.
Not a book I enjoyed but one I can appreciate. I point people thinking of reading it toward the overwhelmingly good reception this novel has received (mostly 4 and 5 star reviews here on goodreads) as a more fair indication of its value.
I really struggled with it, I think partly because it is so sad and partly because it is quite repetitive. I felt the first part from Richie’s point of view was the strongest and would have worked well as a stand-alone short story. There were real flashes of brilliance in this novel, some skilled storytelling where huge revelations were delivered in a subtle and controlled way, but these appeared in amongst a lot of slow reading.
I think partly the pace of it, it’s hopelessness and repetitiveness, reflects the way the characters live and so is intentional. But I just found my breath sort of slowly leaving me as I read and had to keep stopping.
Not a book I enjoyed but one I can appreciate. I point people thinking of reading it toward the overwhelmingly good reception this novel has received (mostly 4 and 5 star reviews here on goodreads) as a more fair indication of its value.
nataliewonders's review against another edition
5.0
This author has quickly become one of my favorites, the way she writes is raw and she knows how to tell a story.
artsymama03's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This book has so many layers, and so much pain. I feel like I need to unpack, and sit with all that was given for a while. If you like happy, fluffy books, yeah this isn’t for you. But if you’re okay going on a journey though the hard reality of racism, generational trauma, addiction, grief, this book is one of the best I’ve read so far. Ward’s writing is beautiful, deep, and just flows so smoothly. Her ability to take you from the more mundane, to complete and utter tension within moments, is pretty amazing. Her characters are complex, and so well written. Again, not for every reader. But I definitely would recommend giving this author a chance, if you haven’t yet.
miajean27's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
sarahgarlicnan's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Tough book because it is so dark and rough and displays so much tragic violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, and Murder