Reviews with content warning for Violence - Os profetas

Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Os profetas by Robert Jones Jr.

80 reviews

amressing's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

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davidrb's review against another edition

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challenging reflective tense medium-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

5.0

An absolute triumph of writing, characterization, and execution. The first review I'm writing here, and for good reason. I think this is going to be my favorite of 2021.

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marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

5.0

This unforgettable book is sure to be a mainstay in African American literature for a long time to come. With chapters that reflect the books of the Bible, and characters that reflect the characters therein, The Prophets is a liberating epic sprinkled with interruptions by a Greek chorus of African ancestral women and flashbacks to the ancestors' demise. This is no Twelve Years a Slave—The Prophets contains many moments of exquisite joy, albeit brief ones. Its story centers not on a man but on two teenage boys joined in the most pure love you can imagine. Their love outshines everything else, and they are protected—ultimately—by their ancestors, and by the mystical women who raised them. Please, read this book.

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prawntaar's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.0

Content Warnings

literaryelephant's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was such a sad and beautiful read packed with nuance on the traumas inflicted by slavery in the southern US (circa 1830s), particularly in regards to Black LGBTQ+ experiences. The structure of the novel is modeled on that of the bible, which fits the theme; it is Christianity that is essentially weaponized against our main characters. I thought the setup was clever and enjoyed getting a new perspective with almost every chapter, but I also found it episodic in a way that made it easy to put the book down at any point and harder to pick it up and get back into the flow of the overall story. Nevertheless, a brilliant and heartbreaking book.

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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

The Prophets is an absolutely phenomenal read. The writing is gorgeous and the storytelling exceptional- especially the relationship between Isaiah and Samuel which is so tenderly depicted. The author has managed to take a fairly common literary setting - that of a plantation with enslaved labour - and render it something entirely new and fresh. The intersectionality between race and sexuality was brilliantly done with the links to the ancestors showing that a variety of gender and sexuality expressions was part of the traditional culture that was disrupted by the slave trade and by the introduction and manipulation of Christianity. The systematic breeding of enslaved peoples to increase the wealth of the plantation owner was something I’d never seen tackled before - another way Jones bought something new to the table. He tells his story from the perspective of a large group of characters - enslaved and enslavers. And none is a minor character. We learn enough about each to form a fully fleshed out picture, whether it be Amos who uses Christianity to ingratiate himself with Paul and attempts to use it to get Samuel and Isaiah to fall into line, or Ruth who ensures revenge is extracted when her wishes aren’t fulfilled. And then there is Maggie - such a strong character who really provides a link between the ancestors and the present. Such a large group of characters allows Jones to present one of the most multi-faceted and nuanced pictures of plantation life and the system of slavery that I have read.

This was most definitely a challenging read, both for the subject matter and the style. As a reader I couldn’t let my attention wander for a moment. However, that attention was richly rewarded.

Thanks to all who were part of the #readwithtoni buddy read. Everyone’s insight added to my appreciation of this amazing book.

“Men and toubab shared far more than either would ever admit. Just ask anyone who had ever been at their mercy. They both took what they wanted; asking was never a courtesy...that what could have been pleasure if both parties were willing had crumbled into a gagged and lying thing”.

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caseythereader's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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actualghoul's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.75

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_lia_reads_'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? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

stephbakerbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

(I’m writing this review a month after reading this book 🙈 so apologies if it’s not very coherent! 😂)

This book is historical fiction, but it definitely leans more toward literary fiction. It’s very well-written, but some might find the writing too abstract and overdone for the story. I’ll admit, some parts were hard to focus on in the audiobook and I think it would’ve helped me to have the print book to follow along with while listening. Some audiobooks I can listen to while doing a million other things and still follow along easily; this one required and commanded more attention. (I’m not saying this is a bad thing either—just trying to explain what kind of book this is and the best way to read it.)

That being said, I found the plot to be compelling and the characters satisfyingly complex. We get into the heads of several different characters, not just Samuel and Isaiah, and we find rich and real people in all of them. I also liked seeing the story from varying points of view.

There is a lot in this book that’s unsettling, but I thought the author handled these things well. He drew necessary attention to certain horrors and injustices without glorifying them or glossing over them. But please do be aware of the content warnings.

Thank you to Libro.fm, the publisher, and the author for my ALC.

Read if you like: Civil War–era fiction, forbidden love, gray areas.

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