Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Honor by Thrity Umrigar

19 reviews

criticalgayze's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful 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

3.0

This was the first book from my 30 before 30 list, a project I curated by getting 30 book recommendations from friends to read before my 30th birthday coming up this December.

I will start with the lessons I learned from this book that I hope to carry into my 30s:

• Standing up for yourself and your needs is always the right decision
• It is never inconvenient to build and maintain community

Now, for my actual review:

If the book had been just the first 2/3s of the final text, I would maybe have given it somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars. Like many Reese picks, it was a little on the nose with its themes and values, but it was intense and emotionally affecting in the way it seemed to want to be. I did feel like it was still largely westernized in its lens, but I thought that was fine, especially as the author has similar cultural connections from my understanding.

The book started to lose me when Smita suddenly realized, seemingly out of nowhere, that she was starting to love India again, despite having had no positive experiences other than her budding relationship with Mohan. When a book struggles that bad with setting up where it wants to go, I know it is going to lose me. But even then, I didn't think I'd fall off as bad as I did.

This book lost me completely after Meena's death.

The book does a little grappling with the traumatic fallout of this event, but it then makes a pretty abrupt tonal shift into romance in a way that almost felt offensive. Besides the presence of Abru, the book departs from the social justice story that had been the spine of its first 2/3s in a way that felt like Meena's trauma was just a way to bring Mohan and Smita together.

I also found it interesting that Smita never resolves the truth of her work with her father, who is dropped fairly quickly after the "revelation" at the start of Book Two.

This, combined with Daisy Jones and Crawdads, confirms for me that I am probably not the reader for Reese's literary fiction picks. We'll just have to agree to disagree there.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma

aayaannaa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

ukponge's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Blood, Islamophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death of parent

laurxndxx's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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? No

5.0

Thank you to NetGalley, Thrity Umrigar and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Honour is an excruciating book to read, but only because it opens your eyes to the harsh reality other people are facing in different countries. I think this book should be taught in schools to make others aware of their privilege.


Indian American journalist Sima arrives back in India since the time her family were driven out and moved to America years before. She ends up following the story of Meena, a woman who was burnt, and her husband murdered. All because of his religion and her culture. Reporting on her story Sima becomes aware of how unfair the justice system can be, and unlocks similar memories to her childhood.It’s a heartbreaking story and is a one that will stay with me forever. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

aguattery's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

The first half of the book was very slow, I think from too much exposition for my taste. The writing was also a little clunky in spots throughout the book. Also, I think Smita and her friends being liberal is slightly oversold and in your face. 

That being said, the second half was particularly emotional for me. Usually books make me feel things but I don't have a physical reaction. This one actually made meshed a few tears. There were some twists and turns that were very well done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Torture and Medical content

Minor: Terminal illness, Blood, and Vomit

mariedhut's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

corinnereadsbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

bookshelf_al's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

andrea_90's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.5

This book makes you rethink how do you define Honor, as ironically this word has been used so many times by bad people to justify what they did. It also shows how we can love someplace despite its flaws. Most importantly it described heartbreakingly what the sacrifice needed to be made for love. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death and Blood