Reviews tagging 'Death'

She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore

13 reviews

bloodmaarked's review

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

4.5* rounded up. gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. i can’t believe i only very recently came across she would be king, but i’m very glad i wasted little time in getting around to reading it. in part motivated to make progress on my personal ‘read around the world challenge’, i thought a fantastical retelling of the foundation of liberia would be the perfect addition, and i have to say that i’m very much encouraged to further expand my knowledge of the country after having read this book.

✧ full review on my tumblr ✧

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Cursing and Pregnancy

solenekeleroux's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, and War

antoniac's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Death of parent, and Colonisation

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Blood

javafenn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book got a little confusing because I was listening to it so I couldn’t go back as easily and clarify what was going on. This book was also very difficult because of the brutality of being a Black person in history. I really loved the magical realism and how the stories all wove in and out of each other ending where it began. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, and Classism

bookishcori's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, and Slavery

ktrecs's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

professorbadger's review against another edition

adventurous challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Another favorite novel of the dozens I’ve read so far in 2021. Lyrical language, interesting characters, a touch of historical knowledge, and a fair amount of straight-up action. Read if you like: Homegoing, classical myths, complicated superheroes, strong women, magical realism, historical novels, Africa. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Slavery, Murder, and War

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Colonisation

slightlyliterary's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Slavery, Trafficking, and Colonisation

montyroz's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, Slavery, Grief, and Murder

caprivoyant's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book deserves words of praise I may never be eloquent enough to write. In She Would Be King, Wayétu Moore creates a novel directly from the heart. This book feels like an offering -- a spiritual experience with the understanding and empathy of your wisest elder.

This book is poetry. It's heartbreak and love at the same time. It's the best, most beautiful, most magical aspects of the human species... And the most sinister. It's hope, and it's pain. It's love in the purest and most raw forms.

This is a book I didn't want to put down. And it's a book I never want to let go. It's not a page-turner, exactly, but it felt precious. I felt honored to be able to read it, to witness it. Every word deserved to be savored. And even though I've finished the final pages, I don't think this book will ever be done for me. It'll stay in my heart. It'll be in the wind on my face. It'll flow in my veins, whispering encouragement, tenacity, and resilience. It'll live through my actions.

Gbessa will not die. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Slavery, Xenophobia, Trafficking, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Child abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence