Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead

6 reviews

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

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

alisonvh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.5

I’m not a huge fan of the fact that the plot was more like three separate stories than one overarching plot. But his writing is so beautiful I can’t help but love it. And he is good at including phrases throughout the book that tie all three stories together.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Infidelity and Kidnapping

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

bandysbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This book was just okay for me. I found it a bit repetitive and a little tedious at points. I loved the New York setting and the sort of Mafia type feel that it had going on, but I didn’t find the characters all that compelling and the other plot got a bit predictable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder

davidrb's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny tense 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

5.0

STRONG, STRONG contender for my favorite book of the year, and certainly for my favorite published this year. Wonderfully paced, dryly funny, and with such a tight grasp on story and plot. I came out of it way more emotional than I banked for. The Count of Monte Cristo references...wow!

Savored every minute.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

There's a scene midway through the book that veers close to rape and will likely trigger people who are affected by sexual assault.