Reviews

I really wanted to like this more than I did. I was enjoying it but lost interest in the second half. I wanted to give the author another try, but I think her writing style just isn't for me.

mhazz's review against another edition

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5.0

The loneliness and suffering portrayed in this novel is obviously of a very specific kind, but the loneliness and heartache illustrated in the language used by Toni Morrison is far-reaching and universal. The slow and non-linear unfolding of events is symbolic of Sethe's trauma, as she cannot bear to face her past all at once, therefore "the whole story" becomes known bit by bit. The home is also symbolic as a claustrophobic and post-gothic setting in which love and trauma are almost indistinguishable from each other. The horrors of slavery are what lead to the climatic event of the novel, a heart-wrenching exploration of familial love and the multi-generational connections between mother and daughter. In short, this book made me cry more than once.

mankamon's review

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dark emotional mysterious medium-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? No

4.75

monica32's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-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

4.75

winniewonders's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

4.0

siggy89's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced

Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Awful! The writing is just a jumble of words and nonsense - the key “themes” are harrowing but not really given focus to play out. The narration jumps from character to character but never giving a complete timeline or picture of events/reality.
Not sure how this is pegged as a classic read…really not my writing style and a slog to get through in more ways than one.

astratton1027's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

4.5

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