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caseythereader's reviews
1741 reviews
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Gore, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death and Bullying
Minor: Sexual content
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexism
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Infidelity
5.0
- THE MESSAGE is three essays that connect through the idea of how writing and storytelling shape our view of the world. Coates tells us about trips he takes to Senegal, South Carolina, and Palestine.
- The first two essays are good and thought-provoking, but the essay on Palestine is the heart of and reason for the book. Coates lays out why the narrative he’d been told his whole life about the region was wrong, and obviously so from the moment he set foot in Jerusalem.
- Coates connects the dots between the three stories - slavery, book banning, and apartheid - and how the narratives that have built up around them over time shape the daily lives of oppressed people.
Graphic: Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, and War
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
- I have no idea what to make of THE COIN, but I am pretty sure I loved it, if that makes sense.
- Our unnamed narrator belongs to the grand tradition of Rich Women Falling Apart, but here we have the added layer of her being a Palestinian woman living off family money in New York. The emotional, social, and historical complexity of this identity are clear in her muddled and often terrible actions.
- I really liked the concept of the coin in this story. I am certain many readers won’t, as its intended meaning is almost totally opaque. But I kind of love that: everyone can read something different into it.
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Genocide and Colonisation
Minor: Fatphobia and Fire/Fire injury
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Gore, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use
- 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
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Blood, and Kidnapping
Did not finish book. Stopped at 21%.
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Pregnancy
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Colonisation