So, I just finished the audiobook and feel kind of conflicted. On one hand, I really did enjoy it and it made me very emotional at times. On the other hand, I feel like Dana was a little too “two dimensional,” I guess. I’m not sure how to put it. It felt like at times she was a little too unbothered by the circumstances, like her point of view downplayed the gravity of the situations she was thrust into. I understand that she felt conflicted often due to her responsibility for Rufus, but she was too forgiving imo. I know she had to do things and accept things to survive, but one big example of this is when he literally rapes Alice and she mildly scolds him and seems to basically forgive him immediately and gets him help. I just wish we had more insight and internal dialogue into her disgust and hatred for what was happening. Maybe it was the tone of the narrator in the audiobook, but I felt like there was a lot of “oh no! Anyway..”. I feel that it did a decent enough job at portraying the conflicting feelings she (and other slaves) felt for Rufus, but she seemed to lack a lot of depth as a character if that makes sense. I think it would have been more interesting to see more into Alice’s point of view, or even how Kevin’s experience changed him for better or for worse. Like I said, it’s totally possible that it was the tone of the narrator herself, but I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts. Overall, I really did enjoy the book and felt so many emotions while listening, there were just some things that felt kind of “off”. But I do understand why it it such a beloved novel, and I was enthralled the whole way.
by DirectionOk790