Reviews tagging 'Grief'

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

36 reviews

sakisreads's review against another edition

adventurous funny tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

✨ Reread ✨

I remember thoroughly enjoying this book when I first read it. It’s simplicity (the title tells you all, right? 😅) was very appealing to me.

Korede doesn’t mince her words. It is evident in her rule-following and (obsessive) cleaning habits. There’s a routine, we stick to it and for good reason. On the other hand, Ayoola is this larger-than-life person and it’s very obvious that a shadow is cast over Korede’s entire life.

However, because the women have a shared experience (

Spoiler

the abusive dad for instance

), it is evident that they’ll stick together for life. I LOVED their connection, even when I hated it 🥲

Spoiler

Tade really thinking he could persuade Korede not to testify against him fucked me up 😂

A rollercoaster of emotions put into a short story. I was THRILLED 🙋🏻‍♀️

I loved reading Oyinkan Braithwaite’s interview at the end also. She said that there is no one ‘Nigerian experience’ and that she was a bit anxious about how this story might sound to certain audiences. But honestly, this is my second time reading it and I don’t often reread books but this one is undoubtedly worth the experience 👏🏼 I gasped and laughed several times 🔥

5 out of 5 stars from me ✨ Would highly recommend for sure!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, and Death

marigold82's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

3.75

The emotional responsibility we have for our family is so true in this. This book is not what I expected but it asks the question, who are we if we unequivocall  if permissively support a murderer?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Mental illness, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder, Medical trauma, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Blood

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

gondorgirl's review

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Grief

cnicoles6's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

The entire premise gives me a stomach ache, but I couldn't put it down. Super quick read that kept me on the edge of my seat. Check the trigger warnings on this one.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Child abuse, Murder, Violence, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Medical content, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

fraise's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, and Medical content

Minor: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Classism, Drug use, and Animal death

nightfell's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I moderately enjoyed this book, but I wanted more from it. Maybe the way it was marketed to me (by tiktok) was why it felt anticlimactic, but I was expecting more female rage, more anger, emotion, development from the main character but she barely reacted to the events unfolding around her and by the end of the story, it was made clear that she always would, because of her role as the eldest sister; her sister is her responsibility and will always be. Her sister also never changes, the novel is more a look into their lives at the time it is set. 

But I did like some aspects of the book, such as her frustration with her sister which links into their relationship with their father and her relationship with Tade.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Medical content

Minor: Blood, Grief, and Drug use

maddiearthur's review

dark fast-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Grief and Death of parent

nojerama's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense fast-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

4.5

Wow this book moved at breakneck speed I literally read it in one day. Absolutely gripping and so much of Korede's feelings towards her sister and other women in her life resonated with me so much. Absolutely loved it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Drug abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Mental illness, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Violence, Murder, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Domestic abuse, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Rape, and Stalking

vonni's review

dark funny tense fast-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Infidelity, and Grief

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

Minor: Gore, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, and Trafficking