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booksandabackpack's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Vomit
emmyjo85's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Excellent prose, very difficult content to read but beautifully written. I'm not very into magical realism but this was beautifully written and I'm glad I read it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
joblo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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? No
4.5
Beautifully written, just like Ward’s other novels. It didn’t grab me quite the same way, though— maybe because it covers a much longer timeframe than her other works? Or because the subject matter is so rough? Or because I read it so fast? Either way, I’ll definitely be rereading at some point— Ward’s writing is absolutely incredible and her stories stay with you. Amazing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence
sarah_sunshine9's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Blood and Vomit
any_bethany's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Slavery, Violence, and Deportation
ginabelle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
An essential and uncomfortable read depicting American slavery, sprinkled with supernatural elements. The spirits were a little beyond me at times, but the concept of descending into hell to hone your weapons, wit, and power of self to ultimately ascend into true freedom (in every sense) was so beautiful!! This was my first Jesmyn Ward book and she is amazing!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Grief, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual harassment
laynemandros's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Glad I started off the year with such a banger, and if my first book of 2024 indicated how the rest of my reading year will go, then we’re off to a good start.
One thing about me is that I love Jesmyn Ward, she’s hands down one of my top five favorite authors of all time. I expected to be blown away by this book because I’ve had visceral, emotional reactions to all of her work (I’ve read all of her books except “The Fire This Time), but I wasn’t. To be clear, I enjoyed this read, but I wasn’t as enthralled with this one as I have been with Ward’s work in the past. I guess it might be a little unfair to compare her books to each other when so many of them are my absolute favs.
I have no bones to pick with this book, if you like beautiful, moving writing with layered prose and incredible plot execution then you’ll want to pick this one up. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I felt the middle of the novel lagged for me a bit. I feel like this might be twofold, I’m not really a fan of historical fiction or magical realism— two things that dominate this novel.
As always, the climax and falling actions of Jesmyn Ward’s writing absolutely captivated me. This is a beautiful and complex story of ancestry, particularly motherhood, of Black women who were enslaved in the south. The motif of water and the reclamation of water after the trauma of ancestors being forcibly transported to America via the Atlantic Ocean was particularly poignant for me throughout this read.
Not much else to say about this one, Jesmyn Ward never misses. In 2024 I hope to check off the last book of hers that I’ve yet to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation
mamaofperfectpayton's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
3.75
Absolutely excellent writing - beautiful descriptions that made me feel like I was there. But it was a book about slavery, which made it difficult to read and I didn’t want to feel like I was there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Slavery, Violence, Blood, and Vomit
rsiddall's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is a powerful book that wonderfully narrates the coming to age and understanding of life through the experience of horrors and grief. The author masterfully makes you feel the hardship endured throughout the novel when you realize everything that Annis suffered was only about year time frame but feels like a lifetime of sorrow. This isn’t an easy read and could definitely be triggering but absolutely with the time to invested in Ward’s story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Slavery
Moderate: Physical abuse and Rape
laurynsbookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Death of parent
Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, and Sexual harassment