Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Het eiland van de verdwenen bomen by Elif Shafak

94 reviews

annakh16's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad slow-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? No

2.75

First things first: this book is a lot darker than the synopsis suggests imo. I’d recommend looking at content warnings. 

I really want to like this more than I did. The plot in Cyprus was heartbreaking,

especially Yusuf’s and Yiorgos’ story was moving

, and the writing was good. But I’ll be honest: I think the entire late-2010s plot could’ve been cut. Most of it went nowhere,

especially the exorcism part?

, and it was mostly just the characters sitting around. I understand it was aimed to develop an understanding of generational trauma, but I don’t think it was pulled off, because the overall discussion of the emotional impact on the characters was underdeveloped. The beginning was also soo slow and nearly made me DNF. 

I also couldn’t get into the fig tree perspective. I think it was more enjoyable towards the end, when it actually told the story of the tavern, but in the beginning there were a lot of seemingly unrelated flora & fauna facts that just slowed down the story. If you enjoy that, this might work better, but it wasn’t for me. (And I agree that it overshadowed/hampered discussion of the human characters‘ thoughts and feelings). 

The story in Cyprus was no doubt my favourite, and I quite liked it. In my opinion, the book would’ve done a lot better just sticking to that. I learned a lot, but unfortunately I think this could’ve been better. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Mental illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide, Grief, and Abortion

There is a chapter where Ada‘s aunt takes her to see an exorcist. Nothing comes from it, Ada does not seem upset by it and in fact finds it funny. But I wasn’t quite sure how to categorise this.

agnela's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative mysterious sad 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

I really, really would like to give this 3 stars, mainly because of that damn tree, and details that the author mixed up, like cultural view on doves and pigeons, mixing Greek and Roman mythology figures, making the tree almost all knowing and horny. This was a ride through ups and downs, but I loved the cultural background, the history of Cyprus and people who lived there. The main story wasn't that bad, neither was the characters. Besides the tree. Who made the believe it was a good idea? Sometimes it didn't even feel like it was written by the same author with how much it got wrong. You see, when you miss small details, like mixing Gaia and Jupiter together, or saying that a tree can hear bees in December, London, as an author you loose credibility. Do you mean your words or do you just shoot them out to fill the space? 
I don't trust this author, but it wasn't bad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion

Moderate: Child death, Death, Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Death of parent, and War

mr_cain's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

I love the fig tree as a narrator!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Alcoholism and Torture

sas_lk's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Elif Shafak's writing is gorgeous, I underlined a lot of beautiful quotes. However, I just think this book was not necessarily for me, Ada frustrated me so much. She frustrated me so much that I ended up having barely any interest in the rest of the story and characters. 
I think I will try atleast one more book from Shafak because I do think she is talented. This one simply wasn't for me I think.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Hate crime, Violence, and War

Minor: Homophobia and Suicide

taytots24's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Suicide, Police brutality, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

ariromi's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Blood, Pregnancy, and Pandemic/Epidemic

yellowfleeces's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective slow-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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, and Death of parent

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, and Alcohol

pamc_1996's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Homophobia, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Genocide and Suicidal thoughts

utopiaandmelancholy's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Stunningly written. The subject matter is difficult, but the hope shines through as well. I wasn't very aware of the history around the Cyprus civil war, which is still in very recent history, but this was a vivid and personal introduction. The fig tree sections I also thought were beautiful. I already have an interest in plant science so I did already know some of the amazing facts that are shared, but I loved the way they also support the story. A fantastic exploration of love against the odds, generational trauma, and the fracturing of a community in a troubled time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Abortion

cassielaj's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I finished this book with tears in my eyes, and that wasn’t the first time it brought me to tears. This story is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. The characters go through so much and their stories are told with such reverence. I loved the multi-timeline, multi-narrator style of storytelling, and the writing itself was stunning — I highlighted so many passages! The unique perspective of the tree and the attention paid to the natural world throughout made this book absolutely fascinating to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Mental illness, Abortion, and Pregnancy