Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - The Bread the Devil Knead

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Bread the Devil Knead by Lisa Allen-Agostini

14 reviews

abbie_'s review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.25

I’ve read quite a few books this year that focus on domestic violence towards women and girls (Tomorrow I Become a Woman, Too Much Lip, How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House) and of these I think The Bread the Devil Knead is the one best written. You can’t really say ‘favourite’ with such harrowing reads, but of the books tackling these topics I’ve read lately, Allen-Agostini has penned the most memorable.

Written entirely in Trinidadian Creole, the book is narrated by Alethea, a 40-year-old manager of a clothing boutique who usually fends off friendships from other women. Her live-in boyfriend Leo beats her regularly, and Allie is fiercely determined to keep her affairs private. But when a woman is murdered by her lover in front of Allie’s shop and a chance encounter reunites her with her adopted brother, Allie is forced to reassess her life.

Allen-Agostini makes use of past and present chapters so we get a well-rounded view of all the events that have shaped Allie’s life. And please be warned that these events are some of the toughest you will read about - childhood r*pe, inc*st, physical abuse. Allie’s voice is so distinct and enjoyable (not in content!!) to read that you cannot help but root for her. I loved that after years of not allowing anyone into her interior life, she starts to open up to female friendships. Her relationship with her brother Colin was also a welcome relief from the trauma of her life.

I think it’s obvious that the author is also a stand-up comedian, because despite the heaviness of the content, there’s a lightness to it through Allie’s humour. The ending is also incredibly cathartic, so although I’d recommend this one with caution, just know that there is some hope at the end!

Content Warnings

tombomp's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Big trigger warnings for domestic violence, rape, child abuse, an *explicit* child sexual abuse scene, Spoilerincest. All of which are intense and there are constant scenes throughout the book.

I think it's hard to put my thoughts together about this. It's a cavalcade of trauma and abuse and then it just ends so... neatly? Like, not that the scars are resolved obviously. But it feels weird - although even saying that feels wrong, as if I'm suggesting that actually the trauma should have carried on, which is also not what I meant.

I think part of it is that the neat ending owes very little to the actions of the main character in the "present day" - there's connections formed in childhood that only just come back around all at once and we only see bits and pieces of how they happened and Spoilera loose friendship where the other person seemingly took it upon herself to get the MC's abusive violent boyfriend shot in a way that framed him as the shooter? it's a little vague at the end exactly what happened and how much knowledge people had but it's heavily implied imo. That's not bad exactly - everyone needs support and it's good to show stuff happening as a group effort, obviously. It more just adds to the sense that things wrapped up due purely to coincidence than anything else. Which... again I guess that's not that inaccurate to real life. So again I can't exactly mark it down for that.

I think the explicit child sexual abuse scene really threw me for a loop and eclipsed everything else about the book. Not suggesting it's wrong to portray it, just it was so intense (even though I had to skim it) that I couldn't really get settled about how I feel about the book due to feeling so upset and lost reading that.

I will say as an obvious unalloyed good thing: the Trinidadian Creole writing style is really good and I loved reading it. It's an incredibly readable book that's quite compelling

Content Warnings