Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee

20 reviews

entropyseeker's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A lovely book about the hard journey to recovery after substance abuse. 
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felishacb's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

4.0

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eccentric_kam's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-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

4.5

I had to keep reminding myself this is fiction and Ranita is not real. Ranita is trying to piece her life back together after being released from prison and newly sober.  It is not easy to cut ties with her old life. Ranita has not only been through a lot but has also put her family through a lot as well. She is struggling to maintain her sobriety, rebuild her relationship with her kids and other loved ones, and coming to terms with who she really is. The ending almost had me in tears and it was so beautifully written. 
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isaarusilor's review against another edition

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challenging 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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siobhanward's review against another edition

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reflective 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

4.0

 I'm loving that more and more stories of women in hard situations are not stories of broken women (ahem, Ms. Atwood), but instead are stories of women finding their strength and fighting back. Ranita had every chance to give up - her challenging past, her time in Oak Hills, her journey back into the world. But instead of writing that story, Lee chose to write a story of a passionate woman who is choosing to live her life.

I really enjoyed this story - I kept waiting for a gotcha but honestly I was just impressed by Ranita and her story. I loved the characters that Lee created - Ranita, her family, the other women at Oak Hills. Honestly, the other women at Oak Hills were interesting enough that I wish there had been more time devoted to the, but I understand that was not the point of the story. They just felt so well-developed for background characters. This was such a pleasure to read and I'm looking forward to reading more of Lee's work. 
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emzireads's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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kathryn_saulinas's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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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tianas_littalk's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

4.75

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schnurln's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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

4.75

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alibookedup's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Wow...I was stunned by this novel. The synopsis grabbed me from the beginning, but I definitely can say I was blown out of the water. The writing is so mesmerizing and descriptive and poetic. Reading this felt like I was literally watching someone paint each individual brush stroke of Ranita's life that would undoubtedly come together into a painting of a magnificent, bleeding pomegranate. More so, the topics that this book covered were so tragic and hopeful and heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time. It truly takes you on her highs and lows of successes and failures much like the everyday high and lows of someone struggling with addiction. Watching Ranita fight with her past, present, and future while facing society's injustices against being a black, queer woman and addict is truly a sight to behold. This book did a beautiful job of getting you inside her head and almost tangibly understanding what addiction and prison really is.  Watching her also fight to better herself for her children and love was remarkable. It's a super tough story to read, but one that brings such important light to living with addictions, trauma, racial injustices, and the repercussions of choice.

Please note the trigger warnings posted! 
(Addiction, alcoholism, emotional abuse, toxic relationship, sexual assault, rape, drug use, drug abuse, sexual content, death of parent, child abuse, confinement, racism)

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!
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