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michaelion's review against another edition
dark
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
An interesting peak into the state of America / Black America a hundred years ago. I don't feel that the one drop rule has the same weight as it used to for obvious reasons that are partially predicted in the book. Harper couldn't account for the burgeoning Black bourgeoisie era that was on the horizon, which leads to a lack of recognition of the one drop rule today, but also not really. I mention that because the book doesn't have the same weight to me as someone who's viewing these characters as white people. They are described as pretty and beautiful, straight up with pale white skin and blue eyes and fair hair. The term for them is octoroons. At least two characters are told to just assimilate as it'll be easier and they wouldn't have to explain things, and I understand why they didn't but 160ish years removed from that era, it's just not relevant or a question anymore. Maybe in some areas. I also mention all this because it's harder for me to have sympathy for the troubles whites go through, and in this current era those people are white, because in that era they were so white they were told to assimilate! It seems like I'm erasing their stories but I honestly went into this book hoping for a story where a Black author let Black people shine and multiple pages / chapters are dedicated to showing and telling the audience that the darker skinned Black people were uneducated, ignorant, and come from heathen / pagan / non-Christian ancestry. These things are what give it a low rating for me. The writing is pretty smooth and beautiful even with it being older, which is usually hard for me to read, but the Black bourgeois era was probably finding its footing when this book was written and published. Many if those ideas still plague the community to this day.
Also it was weirdly anti-alcohol. Like in a preachy way. Clearly written before the Prohibition era. I'm a person who is very anti-alcohol myself and even I was like ew don't tell me what to do.
Also it was weirdly anti-alcohol. Like in a preachy way. Clearly written before the Prohibition era. I'm a person who is very anti-alcohol myself and even I was like ew don't tell me what to do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, War, Racism, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, and Slavery
Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Mental illness, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Death, and Misogyny
Minor: Hate crime, Antisemitism, Pedophilia, Trafficking, Alcoholism, Child death, Deportation, Kidnapping, and Pandemic/Epidemic
f18's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Child death, Slavery, Terminal illness, and War
Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, Hate crime, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
colorism
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