From the Bookshelf of Constant Reader…

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

James McBride

Start date: June 15, 2024

Finish date: July 15, 2024

Discussion: Reading List

Discussion leader: Gina Whitlock

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Showing 2 of 428 topics — 16,892 comments total

Reading List

* The Schedule for July through Dec. 2025
By Lynn · 1 post · 41 views

last updated Jun 20, 2025 08:37AM

Circe - discussion with spoilers
By Jane · 17 posts · 23 views

last updated Sep 06, 2025 04:48PM

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What Members Thought

Jun 07, 2024 spoko rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, book-club

A weak ★★★★☆ for me. The setting & stories are interesting, but in the end the whole thing felt needlessly complicated. Not only did I feel like there were ends left untied, but truthfully, I wasn’t even sure what all the ends were at that point. I’m OK with an open, unresolved ending, but this was just a mess. Overall, as I expect from McBride, there were some well-drawn characters and a lot of quirky, interesting texture to the insular society of Chicken Hill (and its environs). And if it were ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 20, 2024 Rosana rated it liked it

Shelves: audio-books, para-2024, 2024

There a a great cast of characters but maybe too many which doesn't allow for a bigger engagement with any. And the plot just gets lost in the myriad of personal stories. Yet, it was ok. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 28, 2024 William rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2024

Not much can be said that hasn’t been said already. This is a great book and a great read (not always the same thing). Themes of justice, equality and acceptance are woven into a plot with many threads and a huge cast of characters. Those characters are often somewhat fanciful, representing a cliche or an idea rather than just being a character in a story. This is masterfully accomplished with physical descriptions and language. The themes, while serious a treated with a lightness of touch, ofte ...more

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Apr 06, 2024 Diane rated it really liked it

I had a hard time appreciating all the character threads until reaching nearly the end of the book, when I realized the multitude of threads was the whole, beautiful point.

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