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adriarato's review
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Racism
zedohee's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
authenticakj's review against another edition
5.0
A cautionary tale of what happens when you strive for success without a focus on legacy. Eloquently written it was worth the read.
kc_ashton's review against another edition
5.0
I don’t know how this book landed on my TBR list but I am so glad I did. It’s a wonderful mix of biting classism, mystery, creepiness, and history. For a small book, it’s a dense read but Naylor’s writing is so engrossing you want to keep going to find out what comes next! Lots of individual stories about the different families living in one neighborhood tied together through the activities of two young men who visit each home doing odd jobs to make a little extra cash. What do they see and hear? Some wild stuff for sure.
joyful24's review
5.0
The reason i love this book (besides the fact it is written by my favorite author) is that it provides a class, gender, race dialogue to dante's inferno in a way that easier to understand than the classic novel. The parallels between Dante's spiral into hell and the books exploration into Linden Hills are at the forefront of the novel. It gives you a perspective into the mind of how African American thought mixes with the so-called traditional literary canons...the end is sort of dull although it is chuck full of action. the fire next time!
booklovertamisha's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-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? It's complicated
3.0
gertrudski's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Racial slurs, and Violence
thishannah's review
From the premise, I was expecting a straightforward high-society drama with gossip, backstabbing, and social commentary. But the actual story was much darker and stranger, and the allegorical layer really elevated the reading experience for me. I only found out halfway through that the book is based on Dante's Inferno, and once I learned that, so many things about the book's tone and structure fell into place. I am not really familiar with Inferno beyond the surface level, so I loved that Linden Hills inspired me to dig deeper into another classic. The combination of the antiquated story structure with 1980s stylings worked really well, and Hell was a perfect metaphor for the traps of wealth and "success" that cost people their souls.