Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

25 reviews

tigertheory's review against another edition

dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Just didn’t draw me in like Whitehead’s other books. As an EFL speaker, it was hard to keep up with all the dated slang at times and I have to be honest – sometimes I didn’t know what was going on at all. 
In terms  of style though, Whitehead portrays New York City and Harlem expertly and with so much wit that I was actually audibly laughing at times. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Genocide, Homophobia, and Suicide attempt

nativeladybookwarrior's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

There is no question that the writing of this book is incredible. My goodness, the depth of love for Harlem is not only apparent, but it's build within people's struggle, their strength, and the stories. I saw not only the development of characters but also how characters and PLACE develop each other. It was also an amazing prose. I loved the dialogue! The internal mindse  of Ray.  Early on with the prose I was already not expecting a fast, complex plot heist. But I loved what I got instead, a shuffle of amazing characters. I'm looking forward to reading Crooked Manifesto. 

If you're looking forward to a fast paced plot, filled with intense twists this might not be the book for you. But im a character driven reader, so this was wonderful for me. :)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Murder, and Classism

mayze's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.0

A great book set in New York City  between the late 50s to the mid 60s. 

The main character is a black man who owns a furniture shop and like most Americans of his time is chasing The Dream by doing things by the book, eventually realising there's little to no chance for a man like him to achieve it that way. 

The book then follows the main character trying to keep his head above water while outside forces are pulling him down (sometimes he dives willingly too).

This book was my introduction to Colson Whitehead and really liked this book and have since bought the sequel to this book and got his critically acclaimed "The Underground Railroad" which I add a review here later

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bel017's review against another edition

dark informative sad

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

 In 1960s Harlem, NYC, a black man tries to balance and separate his straight and criminal lives. 

Lots of CW for marginalised people living in desperate, violent, poverty stricken and oppressive situations.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Police brutality, Death of parent, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Body horror, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Grief, and Alcohol

whatthekatdraggedin's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy, War, and Classism

mummyzz's review

informative reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Grief

carefulfearanddeaddevotion's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Death, and Drug abuse

reggiethebird's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A really well crafted vibe throughout the whole book. Colson Whitehead has a great voice than can really get you lost in the world at times. Sort of a lazy recollection type feel to the whole thing deal, with some really nice sentences that jump out at you every few pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, and Kidnapping

Minor: Child abuse, Antisemitism, and Grief

bookgurl488's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was about a man who was straddling two worlds. The first world was that of a family man that sold furniture in his store and the other one; was a two bit crook inherited from his father side of the family.  The dichotomy of these worlds is what made this book interesting.  He would not have survived these worlds without Pepper. He was awesome.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Racism, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Blood, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Minor: Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Stalking, and War

knkoch's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious reflective fast-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

Colson Whitehead is very talented. Every book of his I’ve read has felt important, but never the same. While The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad are essential, they’re also heavy; Harlem Shuffle felt zippy and exciting, almost like a crime or heist caper. Almost. Because it’s still set in Harlem in the 1960s, and its characters are very much entrenched in the context of that time: institutional racism, corruption, civil rights protests, and gradual, gradual change, through grit as much as through hustle. 

Every character is handled so carefully, both in their virtues and flaws. Whitehead manages to convey so much of their backstory and personal philosophy without it ever feeling clunky or expositional. He handled time jumps and background more gracefully and seamlessly than anything I’ve read recently. I suppose I just have to read everything he’s written now and savor his expertise. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use and Racial slurs

Minor: Police brutality