Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Son of the House by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia

4 reviews

teacupsandfirereads's review against another edition

hopeful reflective 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

3.5

This is a strong debut. Which is obvious in being shortlisted. The characters are strong and complex. Coming from different circumstances, the main characters have vastly different lives, but still share a lot of the same themes. Their stories were brought together seamlessly and told in a very completing and tangible manner. I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Misogyny, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Child death, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Death and Violence

kjulie's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved this. It is written with so much compassion and invites readers to enter into the narrative. I am so happy I picked it up on a whim (the cover is stunning). 
Nwabulu and Julie are Nigerian women from different walks of life. They are kidnapped, and they share their life stories with each other while captive together. I was a little hesitant about the kidnapping, but while it was the framing element, it only showed up at the very beginning and the very end. This is primarily the story of living through difficult circumstances, and surviving the consequences of other peoples choices.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

seawarrior's review

emotional hopeful sad fast-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

The Son of the House is a story of the survival and lasting hope of two Nigerian women with vastly different upbringings. The novel begins and ends with their kidnapping in 2011, encircling the stories they relate to each other about their younger years throughout the majority of the book. Nwabulu and Julie encountered differing forms of misogyny from their family and community living through late 1900's Nigeria, but they both know the price of prioritizing "the son of the house" and how the devaluation of women can easily upend one's life. However, their similar experiences go deeper than they know, and both women eventually realize that the defining event of their life has tragically and miraculously been shared. 

Onyemelukwe-Onuobia's straightforward writing style led the book along at an engaging pace, and allowed me to feel engrossed enough in the story that I often forgot it was fiction and started to genuinely worry about the characters. Though many periods of the book were tragic and unflinchingly depicted misogynistic expectations and abuse, Nwabulu and Julie's stories are not devoid of hope. Ultimately I felt this novel was a rewarding read that urges us to remember that even in dire circumstances, people are never truly lost when they are courageous enough to seek out and accept love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, and Violence

Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, and War

kerrygetsliterary's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism