Reviews

China Room by Sunjeev Sahota

thatsoneforthebooks's review against another edition

4.0

A quick read that brilliantly weaves together two storylines, creating this masterful connection between one character and his great grandmother. It was thought-provoking but also emotionally draining leaving some ends untied, with a messiness as is common in real life.

aimless's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

pietan's review against another edition

emotional relaxing sad medium-paced

• 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

kelbi's review against another edition

4.0

An understated novel and I’d have liked more of it, especially the one set in the 1920s, a fascinating story.

lkvistad's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.75

ciaochow's review against another edition

4.0

Do you know when a book is well-written and so beautiful but you don’t want to like it because it is heartbreaking but then you realise it is biographical which means someone had to go through it in order to tell this story which means you must love it because this story was so difficult to tell?

scxticuz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad fast-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

5.0

safsaf118's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

Grabbed this book off the shelf at the library on a whim and honestly was pretty impressed. I actually still think about this every now and then, the story really stuck with me - especially the flashbacks. It was pretty tense in the second half, I was gripping the book ferociously. The modern story didn't stick with me as much, and I found myself just wanting to get through his chapters and back to the more interesting flashbacks. I've had bad experiences with some of the Booker Prize books but this one might have just redeemed that...

awyatt_midbuchanan's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

cloudymeg's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0