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jjkmanga's reviews
871 reviews
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
4.0
cw for racism, colorism
Set in 20th century America and following the lives of 4 women dealing with their racial identity, this was the pick for my book club, and I really didn't think I'd be able to get through it. I'd originally gotten the book for the trans representation, but the beginning was slow and boring. Honestly, I was ready to just not read it at all and make up something at the meeting.
Without a doubt, Stella is the most interesting character. She's wholly unlikeable and has the most pitiful life out of the women. Her sections and points of view were so...new. So completely out of the ordinary in the way that someone would think. She's the only reason I didn't put the book down at first. Of course, it was Reese and Jude that kept me going the rest of the way.
I think this is definitely an interesting perspective, and quite thrilling once it gets going, but I was completely confused by some characters' relationships with each other. I mean, some of this book was just depressing. Not depressing as in sad, depressing as in, "This sucks." I felt miserable at times for the characters and I just wanted it to be over.
I'm glad I got to finish the book for the club. It was slow as hell at first, but still a worthwhile read.
"Well, maybe that's your problem. You tell yourself no before anyone even says it to you."
Set in 20th century America and following the lives of 4 women dealing with their racial identity, this was the pick for my book club, and I really didn't think I'd be able to get through it. I'd originally gotten the book for the trans representation, but the beginning was slow and boring. Honestly, I was ready to just not read it at all and make up something at the meeting.
Without a doubt, Stella is the most interesting character. She's wholly unlikeable and has the most pitiful life out of the women. Her sections and points of view were so...new. So completely out of the ordinary in the way that someone would think. She's the only reason I didn't put the book down at first. Of course, it was Reese and Jude that kept me going the rest of the way.
I think this is definitely an interesting perspective, and quite thrilling once it gets going, but I was completely confused by some characters' relationships with each other. I mean, some of this book was just depressing. Not depressing as in sad, depressing as in, "This sucks." I felt miserable at times for the characters and I just wanted it to be over.
I'm glad I got to finish the book for the club. It was slow as hell at first, but still a worthwhile read.
White all around by Wilfrid Lupano
3.0
3.5 stars *may change
trigger warnings: racism, death, anti-blackness
It must be pointed out first and foremost that this is a story about the black experience in America in the 1800s. That being said, the author, Wilfrid Lupano, is, as far as I can tell, white. I'm not a black reviewer, and so it is not my place to say if Lupano has the right to tell such a story. This foreword is a warning. This is not, from what I've seen, an own voices.
I think the art for a graphic novel must, to some extent, capture the story. For that, you must know the story first.
White All Around is a historically-based graphic novel about a female boarding school in 1832 Canterbury, Connecticut. Its headmistress, Prudence Crandall, admits a young black girl named Sarah into the school as is met by immediate backlash. Obviously, she retaliates by making it a school for women of color only. So on, and so on.
I really did love the art style for this. The color palettes change every scene from warm reds to a harsh purple or somber blues. It's very cartoony, but I think it's charming in that sense.
I did appreciate the addition of historical photographs, biographies, and documents. A graphic novel can only capture so much of reality when that reality has been hidden or unknown. The ending pages provide the real-life people and scenarios the story portrays. It's a good way to tell their story.
I never know how to review graphic novels. They look lovely, but they really only take me like an hour to read. It was quite alright.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced reader's copy.
trigger warnings: racism, death, anti-blackness
It must be pointed out first and foremost that this is a story about the black experience in America in the 1800s. That being said, the author, Wilfrid Lupano, is, as far as I can tell, white. I'm not a black reviewer, and so it is not my place to say if Lupano has the right to tell such a story. This foreword is a warning. This is not, from what I've seen, an own voices.
I think the art for a graphic novel must, to some extent, capture the story. For that, you must know the story first.
White All Around is a historically-based graphic novel about a female boarding school in 1832 Canterbury, Connecticut. Its headmistress, Prudence Crandall, admits a young black girl named Sarah into the school as is met by immediate backlash. Obviously, she retaliates by making it a school for women of color only. So on, and so on.
I really did love the art style for this. The color palettes change every scene from warm reds to a harsh purple or somber blues. It's very cartoony, but I think it's charming in that sense.
I did appreciate the addition of historical photographs, biographies, and documents. A graphic novel can only capture so much of reality when that reality has been hidden or unknown. The ending pages provide the real-life people and scenarios the story portrays. It's a good way to tell their story.
I never know how to review graphic novels. They look lovely, but they really only take me like an hour to read. It was quite alright.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced reader's copy.
Six-Gun Snow White by Catherynne M. Valente
3.0
3 stars *may change
writing about the ethnic oppression of a minority group you’re not a part of (as far as I know) always comes off a bit awkward.
writing about the ethnic oppression of a minority group you’re not a part of (as far as I know) always comes off a bit awkward.
The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
3.0
3 stars *may change
I am automatically more inclined to enjoy a story taking place in the Caribbean. The atmosphere always feels familiar to me.
I am automatically more inclined to enjoy a story taking place in the Caribbean. The atmosphere always feels familiar to me.
Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman
3.0
3 stars *may change
I kept stopping to do other things so the story didn't click with me on this one
I kept stopping to do other things so the story didn't click with me on this one
Tales of the Mist by Laura Suárez
3.0
3.5 stars *may change
The most important part of any graphic novel are the visuals. It wouldn’t have the word graphic in its name if it weren’t. Suárez’s style is, for a lack of better words, damn weird. It’s this very caricature-esq color driven style which is also immensely creepy. Considering that this is a horror book it’s quite fitting. I thought the art really added to the experience of getting to see the story laid out in front of you. The grey-scale color palette provided such a harsh contrast between panels and it truly was lovely. But I’m just someone who really likes graphics.
The story, or, more appropriately, stories were a bit creepy but not necessarily very scary at all, which is fine because I didn’t expect them to be. I really liked the connection with Spanish culture and the references made.
It was a fun story to read, although not necessarily anything that would stick with me in the long run.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an arc.
The most important part of any graphic novel are the visuals. It wouldn’t have the word graphic in its name if it weren’t. Suárez’s style is, for a lack of better words, damn weird. It’s this very caricature-esq color driven style which is also immensely creepy. Considering that this is a horror book it’s quite fitting. I thought the art really added to the experience of getting to see the story laid out in front of you. The grey-scale color palette provided such a harsh contrast between panels and it truly was lovely. But I’m just someone who really likes graphics.
The story, or, more appropriately, stories were a bit creepy but not necessarily very scary at all, which is fine because I didn’t expect them to be. I really liked the connection with Spanish culture and the references made.
It was a fun story to read, although not necessarily anything that would stick with me in the long run.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an arc.
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
2.0
Changing my review for this after thinking about it some more. The authors use of the hard r N word (as well as the audiobook narrator’s use of it) when they’re both Caucasian made me very uncomfortable while listening to it. Why a white person who seeks to educate other whites on racism would use the most derogatory slur in the English language is beyond me. I would rather read a book written by a black author about their personal experience than get it second-hand.
Burning Roses by S.L. Huang
3.0
3.5
well, not what i was expecting?
took me way too long to read for a 150 page book
*rating may change
well, not what i was expecting?
took me way too long to read for a 150 page book
*rating may change