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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Scent of Burnt Flowers is set in the mid-1960s. Melvin and his fiance Bernadette are forced to flee the US after a road trip in the South went horribly wrong and Melvin killed a white man. They head to Ghana where Melvin's college roommate, Kwame Nkrumah, is now president. Efforts to see him and seek his help prove challenging due to the political instability in the country (he is deposed during this time) and the fact that a very determined rogue FBI agent is on their trail. I enjoyed the historical background even if it left me enraged anew at the US's foreign policy and their actions to deliberately undermine democratically elected leaders. It's a fast-paced read with a high body count, an element of magical realism, and introduced me to Highlife music. This was outside my wheelhouse, and somewhat uneven, but an enjoyable change of pace all the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Racism
fkshg8465's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The characters were all terrible people doing the best they could without any context as to why they were going what they were doing. A pretty awful place to start, yet I found this book funny at times and wonderfully ironic throughout. Every time I thought I had a handle on the story, it would shift directions without detracting me from the center of the plot. Really fun.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Colonisation
honeyvoiced's review
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Physical abuse and Pregnancy
mondovertigo's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Gun violence and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy
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