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ambitiouslycierra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and War
Minor: Death of parent
muchadoaboutliz's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, and War
makenziehyatt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, and War
readsandsuch's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Ableism, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual content, and War
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
romynebel's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and War
marythewriter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Abandonment, and War
whtbout2ndbrkfst's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia and Religious bigotry
Minor: Sexual assault
wanabees's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and War
willowbiblio's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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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I was deeply moved by this book. It felt like a different version of a story I'm very familiar with, what life could have been like for people I love very much if they had made different choices.
The description of Aminita as a shadow was so inspired because it conveyed how completely she was integral to Ijeoma's personhood. As was the moment when Ijeoma believed Aminita must have died when she didn't show up, because for Ijeoma, the only thing that would keep her apart from Aminita was death. It was interesting that Ijeoma then chose the same route, marrying a man, and enacted her own betrayal against Ndidi but still saw herself as the victim when she thought Ndidi wasn't writing her letters.
Okparanta shifted her descriptions of Chibundu from open and handsome with perfect teeth to "monster-like" as their relationship deteriorated. The description of him "writhing into" her invoked the imagery of a snake, correlating back to her refrain on Adam and Eve. I also loved her use of dreams as introspection/self-reflection for the characters.
I was really impressed by this book, especially how at the end Okparanta addressed that our own awakenings may be someone else's tragedy.
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Rape
rionstorm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment