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ka_cam's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.5
Brutal and lyrical, follows a young woman born into US slavery and sold down the river after her mother and with, though quickly separated from, her lover. Spirit-ful and spiritual reflections on grief, intergenerational trauma, mother’s love, the connections between people, places and times. Good, heartbreaking, read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
kathrynjl's review against another edition
challenging
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
3.75
Let Us Descend is a beautifully crafted but challenging read; truthfully, I don’t know how to rate it. Ward’s prose is lyrical and evocative, but this story is so slow-paced and deeply sad that I’m not sure if I actually enjoyed reading it. Things started to pick up for me in the last third of the book, and the ending is hopeful. I look forward to reading more of Jesmyn Ward’s books because her style is magnificent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death of parent