jessicaxmaria's Reviews (1.04k)

A scarring novel that really descends into the grotesque. I liked it, but finishing it felt like a nice escape from its world.

An interesting premise and opaque narrator--though, probably for a reason. I liked some parts and the protagonist's take on art. I do think this would've been a brilliant short story; as it is, I felt less of an impact.

First book of 2023 completed. I'd heard much about this book for years, but never found it in a bookstore or came upon it in person. Then I received it as a gift over the holidays and its first few words were enough to reel me in:

"What she liked was candy buttons, and books, and painted music (deep blue, or delicate silver) and the west sky, so altering, viewed from the steps of the back porch; and dandelions."

Gwendolyn Brooks was a renown poet, and I tend to love novels by poets. It was published in 1953 and is just shy of 200 pages. The novel begins with the titular protagonist, a young Black girl in the Midwest, and each chapter is a window of time into her life as she grows up and navigates adulthood. The prose is beautiful, and the character and her moments of realization are rendered with genuine care. MAUD MARTHA acts as testament to a certain time period in the U.S., and its depictions and understandings reverberate today, for better and worse. 

A favorite. One I'll re-read. I found so many different takeaways here for a story that seems it's about one thing... and while that plot is riveting, there was an underbelly that fascinated me that I want to dig back into in the future. Wonderful!!!!!

I loved this book because it didn't shy from its messy characters. The book depicted the events and people dramatically and realistically... it was sad and mysterious, and didn't wrap up neatly like some other similar books. I was enthralled by the ride and look forward to more books by Sloan!

An eye-opening collection of essays that dug up a lot of emotions in me and about my own adolescence. The concept of 'empty consent' reverberated through me even after I put the book down.

I'm not sure this journey was worth a very nice ending paragraph. There are parts I adored, and many more that puzzled me. An interesting way to tell this story -- not sure it's entirely successful. Look forward to reading more of Warrell's work in the future.