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stabilesero's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I'm really keen to pick up Mengiste's other novels, The Shadow King was beautiful.
It wasn't perfect, I agree with other readers who also said there were a lot of side characters and names to keep up with, but I see why there were so many by the end of the book. A little bit of repetition regarding describing light and surroundings, but again, it didn't put me off.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death
stindex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
ragna_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Rape, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
athenaia'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
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
hardcoverhearts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, and Murder
sarrasegway's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Gun violence, Excrement, and Antisemitism
tabitha_isabelle's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
alicerossi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, Antisemitism, and Grief
boogsbooks's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A portion of the story is also told through the lens of Ettore, an Italian photographer who has no business being in war. Ettore’s story revolves around his father, where his father comes from, and how that defines him. While I was interested in the layer Ettore’s father added to the book, I felt as though Ettore was here simply to carry the novel’s focus on photography as storytelling. Excerpts throughout the book are told as descriptions of photos. This worked well but made me question the role of Ettore as a central character.
This was my final read of 2020 and it felt like such a fitting ending. It’s epic in all of its forms. It left me reflective, cheering for the underdog, acknowledging pain in repeated history, and finding hope in moving forward.
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, and Grief