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katrina_c's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.0
serenas_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Murder, and Pregnancy
miekookeim's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
Beautifully written and deeply sad book. I felt that the brevity of style and relative anonymity of the characters worked really well but also found myself feeling like something was missing.
anneke_b's review against another edition
4.0
"Mother" moves to a predominantly white suburb of Atlanta GA, and never fits in. The microaggressions and intentional targeting by the police finally get to her. She says no, and ends up shot and lying on her driveway bleeding. Memories, thoughts and the presence all come together in that moment.
A haunting story of racism in contemporary America.
Recommended
A haunting story of racism in contemporary America.
Recommended
aimlessaugust's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
draftpunk's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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
2.75
tommooney's review against another edition
2.0
Quite interesting to begin with but by the end I thought it was quite a poor novel.
Laskar writes about something that doesn't get much air time - the experience of Indian Americans in modern society. Her fragmented storytelling seems to have irked a few on here but I didn't really have an issue with that, in fact that was my favourite part of it.
My issues lie with the characters. Firstly, the protagonist and her family, whose interesting story is not at all fleshed out. I am not really sure why she doesn't name any of them and this feels like a needless gimmick. I also have a little bit of a problem with pretty much every white person in the novel being a racist and every non-white person being open and friendly and accepting. While I get the point, I'm not sure this is a particularly helpful or accurate portrayal of Americans. But then again I live in Britain, not the American south, so perhaps I underestimate the depth of the divisions that side of the pond, compared with here.
Laskar writes about something that doesn't get much air time - the experience of Indian Americans in modern society. Her fragmented storytelling seems to have irked a few on here but I didn't really have an issue with that, in fact that was my favourite part of it.
My issues lie with the characters. Firstly, the protagonist and her family, whose interesting story is not at all fleshed out. I am not really sure why she doesn't name any of them and this feels like a needless gimmick. I also have a little bit of a problem with pretty much every white person in the novel being a racist and every non-white person being open and friendly and accepting. While I get the point, I'm not sure this is a particularly helpful or accurate portrayal of Americans. But then again I live in Britain, not the American south, so perhaps I underestimate the depth of the divisions that side of the pond, compared with here.
gills_2022's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
carriepond's review against another edition
4.0
After finishing this, I read that Devi Laskar is a poet, which is so apparent from the lyricism of the vignettes that make up this novel. This is a short but arresting novel about the experiences of a second-generation immigrant married to an oblivious but loving white man, told as she lies bleeding in her driveway after being shot by police. It was a quick read, both because of the way the short vignettes broke up the text and because the story had a momentum to it that made me want to keep reading. Really heart-wrenching at times, and it really resonated with me.