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imaima's review against another edition
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
amjammi's review against another edition
3.0
It's well-written but every minute of this audio-book was a little soul-crushing.
esther_na's review against another edition
3.0
A good read. I particularly enjoyed the first section of the book. The details in the description. I was travelling with the character, sharing in his feelings and experiences. Perhaps his experiences were closer to home than I had anticipated, but I could sympathise and relate to other characters in the book too. It was refreshing to read about those subtle experiences of coming to know oneself, while fighting urges as dictated by religion and those around you.
I wish Niru was more patient. He was about to escape and find a life with more freedom. I wish he didn’t feel so suffocated and needing to breathe so much. I wish he was more hopeful for the way he was going to get out. He would disappear into his own life like his brother OJ. He could have. I guess this speaks to the freedom that queer people always have to be in pursuit of, always seeking independence as a way to live their truth. Always needing to find an escape.
The second part of the book felt a miss. Detached. The characters were different. In their behaviour, in their mannerism. Perhaps frustrated for so long and there was some form of unraveling taking place. I guess it speaks to the silent battles that each of us fight on our own, and people only see our reactions, never understanding what led to them.
It seems that the author wanted to touch on critical issues. And one can see some events that led up to that point, but it still felt more orchestrated than an organic flow. However, the humanisation of black boys who fall victim to police brutality is a critical perspective needed in literature. His efforts to do this is appreciated, sincerely.
Overall, I couldn’t put it down til I completed it, but the second part didn’t quite settle in well. Perhaps the issue is my projection of how I would’ve wanted the story to progress.
A good read nonetheless, thank you.
I wish Niru was more patient. He was about to escape and find a life with more freedom. I wish he didn’t feel so suffocated and needing to breathe so much. I wish he was more hopeful for the way he was going to get out. He would disappear into his own life like his brother OJ. He could have. I guess this speaks to the freedom that queer people always have to be in pursuit of, always seeking independence as a way to live their truth. Always needing to find an escape.
The second part of the book felt a miss. Detached. The characters were different. In their behaviour, in their mannerism. Perhaps frustrated for so long and there was some form of unraveling taking place. I guess it speaks to the silent battles that each of us fight on our own, and people only see our reactions, never understanding what led to them.
It seems that the author wanted to touch on critical issues. And one can see some events that led up to that point, but it still felt more orchestrated than an organic flow. However, the humanisation of black boys who fall victim to police brutality is a critical perspective needed in literature. His efforts to do this is appreciated, sincerely.
Overall, I couldn’t put it down til I completed it, but the second part didn’t quite settle in well. Perhaps the issue is my projection of how I would’ve wanted the story to progress.
A good read nonetheless, thank you.
etinney's review against another edition
4.0
A fiction book has not emotionally connected to me like this in a little while. I think Iweala deftly explored the consequences of coming out on one's non-romantic relationships, particularly friendship. Coming out and other emotionally charged events in my life had similar draining experiences on my friendships at times. In these moments, you become self-absorbed. As a friend who has been on the receiving end of this emotional burden as well, you understand why Meredith reacted the way she did yet were frustrated at her callousness. You know that yet you can't help the visceral reaction you have of anger towards her.
The only reason I didn't get the book five stars was that I felt that it was a little too short to fully explore its themes. I wish we had had more time throughout the novel to truly explore the emotional impact of the story.
Spoiler
Niru being murdered by the policeThe only reason I didn't get the book five stars was that I felt that it was a little too short to fully explore its themes. I wish we had had more time throughout the novel to truly explore the emotional impact of the story.
rpelletier's review against another edition
5.0
Devastating and incredible. Cried on the train, oops.
jmutrickster's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
readingwmiles's review against another edition
3.0
This book handled a lot of heavy topics really well. A hard, sad read but I’m definitely glad I read it for my queer lit class. I really enjoyed the stream of consciousness style writing, the author seems to have mastered it. They take you out of intense moments with these dives into the character’s mind, building tension and giving exposition all at once. Very well done.
xwaruf's review against another edition
4.0
When I first planned to pick up this book I expected a story centering on Niru (one of two main characters) coming to terms with his sexuality. That was perhaps mistake number one because this story is about much more than that. Speak No Evil is really an exploration of many intersecting identities, beliefs, social issues, and dreams, so to minimize it to a book about Niru's sexuality does it an injustice.
The complexity of the issues that Speak No Evil touches on is fascinating and heartbreaking, yet at the same time there is room for growth. I finished the novel feeling like I wanted more of this good thing. There were many attributes of the novel I would have liked to read more of. For example, did Niru's father ever accept his own role? I can assume, but is that correct? Of course, hand-feeding every last detail to readers is not optimal, so I appreciate what Iweala has done in a certain way. For me, the sweet spot between being sparingly poetic yet robust wasn't there.
I struggled with the writing style of Speak No Evil. The entire novel is written in first-person, which lends itself to empathizing with Niru and Meredith; however, the flow-of-thought style seems choppy at times and makes me feel like Niru and Meredith aren't given the capacity to have complex thoughts that extend beyond simple, quick sentences. There is something lacking in that style (including quotation marks during all dialogue) that makes the characters of Niru and Meredith seem flatter than they were meant to.
With that said, Speak No Evil did make me feel for the characters at times so much that I had to set the book down and come back to it after a bit. Sometimes stories don't need to have happy endings, and this is certainly a case in point. It's hard to describe the emotion Speak No Evil leaves for the reader, but perhaps "solemnity" does it best.
The complexity of the issues that Speak No Evil touches on is fascinating and heartbreaking, yet at the same time there is room for growth. I finished the novel feeling like I wanted more of this good thing. There were many attributes of the novel I would have liked to read more of. For example, did Niru's father ever accept his own role? I can assume, but is that correct? Of course, hand-feeding every last detail to readers is not optimal, so I appreciate what Iweala has done in a certain way. For me, the sweet spot between being sparingly poetic yet robust wasn't there.
I struggled with the writing style of Speak No Evil. The entire novel is written in first-person, which lends itself to empathizing with Niru and Meredith; however, the flow-of-thought style seems choppy at times and makes me feel like Niru and Meredith aren't given the capacity to have complex thoughts that extend beyond simple, quick sentences. There is something lacking in that style (including quotation marks during all dialogue) that makes the characters of Niru and Meredith seem flatter than they were meant to.
With that said, Speak No Evil did make me feel for the characters at times so much that I had to set the book down and come back to it after a bit. Sometimes stories don't need to have happy endings, and this is certainly a case in point. It's hard to describe the emotion Speak No Evil leaves for the reader, but perhaps "solemnity" does it best.
readitstacy's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent book. I picked this book up at the library as it was sitting up from with the recommended reads. I honestly didn't warm up to it early on and it took me much longer to finish than it should have. However, I'm so glad that I stuck with it because it was a wonderful story. It was painful at times, but very fitting for current times. This book did not disappoint.
trin's review against another edition
3.0
Heartbreaking, beautifully and deliberately composed...and yet this book didn't quite work for me. The chapters are generally short, heavy with incident but coming together in a style of plotting that feels a bit scattered and diffuse. The writing is spare and quite lovely, but as a first person narrative, the effect is rather cold, and when the POV abruptly shifts, I don't feel like there's a lot to distinguish one voice from the other. This is a slim book in which it's possible Iweala is simply trying to tackle too many things.
Or it's possible that I just didn't like this book's hopelessness, its bleakness. What in fiction may feel like cliche is often, horribly, still reality: homophobia, innocent black boys being shot by police, senseless violence and injustice. Writers make choices, and sometimes that choice is to portray the stories that they see happening in the world around them, even if it's the same story, again and again. And maybe that should do nothing beyond make any thinking, feeling person uncomfortable and depressed.
Or it's possible that I just didn't like this book's hopelessness, its bleakness. What in fiction may feel like cliche is often, horribly, still reality: homophobia, innocent black boys being shot by police, senseless violence and injustice. Writers make choices, and sometimes that choice is to portray the stories that they see happening in the world around them, even if it's the same story, again and again. And maybe that should do nothing beyond make any thinking, feeling person uncomfortable and depressed.