Reviews tagging 'Death'

Beloved by Toni Morrison

200 reviews

helenaps99's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

A very powerful classic. The narrative moved a bit slowly in the first half but it picked up in the second half and finished really beautifully. I liked the rotation of the POV between different main and minor characters, it provided well-rounded storytelling and showed the biases and short sights of characters like Paul D and Stamp Paid. Sethe’s POV, of course, was the most powerful, I loved her character and what she represented as a woman, a mother, and a former/fugitive slave. I wish I had read this and was able to discuss it in school, there are probably a ton of little nuances that I missed that give greater weight and clarity to the story.
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simplychi's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

When I first tried to read this book, I put it down after about 30 pages and didn’t try again for months. I finally got into the swing of reading and decided to give this another try for black history month and I’m glad I did. Ms. Morrison’s mastery of prose is so admirable. The text is complex and definitely requires focus to not loose the gravity of what is being conveyed. I remember at one point Paul D says he didn’t even cry watching a man he loved more than a brother being roasted so the people doing the roasting could see what man tasted like. I read that sentence like 5 times. That sentence was written so casually but described something so horrific and gut wrenching and I think that was the point. Slavery was so casually inhumane. Black folks were dehumanized so routinely it didn’t get a second thought after a while. At its core beloved is about memory or “rememory”. Memories shape the lives of these characters. Memory can be a prison in a sense, restricting, engulfing. But also binding in that it anchors us to community. “Beloved” is gripping, it’s difficult, it’s commanding. I will definitely be reading “Jazz” and “Paradise” next to complete the trilogy. 
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cosmicbeaches's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? Yes

5.0

It’s a rich historical story that deals with a mother’s grief and makes one question what is right or wrong.
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alyhowell's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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miss22's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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emrosch's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

It took some time for me to get used to the writing style and language, but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The language is poetic, raw and honest. The story is emotional, painful and important. 
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kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective 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

3.0

The rating has nothing to do with the book or the writing and has everything to do with my inability to understand it while reading. I struggled, but that doesn't mean this book is not good. Toni Morrison was a Nobel prize laureate for a reason. 
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bibliogouine's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

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emmaroses7's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

5.0

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juliettt89's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was my first Toni Morrison read. It felt difficult at times like I wasn’t able to truly understand or fully grasp the picture Toni is creating, but I thoroughly appreciated the story and would like to revisit this book in the future with, hopefully, a better understanding. This is a book everyone should read. 
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