Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

30 reviews

bouebooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

wy_woman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Torture, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation

Minor: Child death, Rape, Abortion, and Alcohol

ok7a's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Murder, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Cancer, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Abortion, and Death of parent

tumbleweedreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Miscarriage, Suicide, Abortion, and Pregnancy

Minor: Chronic illness and Excrement

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War

marjoleinvanderspoel's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Lyrical and enchanting, The Mountains Sing tells the history of a whole country through the tale of two generations of women. A must read! Quê' Mai details a large part of the atrocities committed during the Vietnam war with painstaking care, covering everything from PTSD to the devastating impact of chemical warfare. At the same time, this story is filled with love, hope and compassion. The language is just beautiful and you can really tell that the author also writes poetry. The only issue I had with the book was that the pacing was a little off at times. The resolution came too quick, which undermined the build up that the two different time lines were supposed to set up. I think the book could have benefited from a few extra chapters, especially in Diêu Lan's perspective. My rating would be 4.5 stars if possible but will round up because I still really enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Miscarriage, Rape, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail

nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Suicide, Torture, and Vomit

cerilouisereads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cursing, Rape, Abortion, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Domestic abuse and Forced institutionalization

menomica's review

adventurous dark informative sad tense slow-paced

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

This book is so eye-opening. I learned a lot about the Vietnam War and Vietnam in general. The book is constant tension and tragedy; You see on the ground how people were affected by the events of the war. It’s definitely not for everyone, it’s very dense and at times it drags, and the writing can be a bit stilted, but if you can sit down and allow yourself to feel the emotions of the Tram family, it’s very much worth it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Colonisation

Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Slavery, and Abortion

samgiraffes's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Cancer, Child death, Death, Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

Moderate: Alcoholism and Abortion