Reviews with content warning for Sexism - The List of Suspicious Things

Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey

8 reviews

juliesleseecke's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

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_inge's review against another edition

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dark mysterious

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

There’s a lot to like about this. I really liked the writing style, for one; it was really readable, getting the tone of a kid right without being condescending. I loved passages where Miv’s background shone through;

for instance when she’s wondering why her Muslim friends aren’t at church, and she’s genuinely confused.

But wow, I once again really don’t get the marketing for this. Quotes on the cover read ‘To read it is to feel a bit better about life’. ‘Heart-warming’. Really?

A serial killer targeting women (and women being afraid they won’t be taken seriously), domestic violence and abuse, a literal child falling to her death because of racist/facist kids, another kid committing suicide because he’s clearly autistic and can’t cope with life, and you write that?

I went in thinking this was cozy crime, because of these comments, so I was surprised it turned out to be this dark.

The ending soured my experience reading this too.

Sharon did not have to die for this to be impactful. I didn’t mourn her, instead I just thought: ‘really?’. It also means we don’t get closure; did she know about Ruby and Miv’s dad? Is that why she at times was more withdrawn? I don’t think this is a point to be made about grief; Miv won’t know, so we don’t either, but instead it feels like a cover-up for plotholes or elements of the story which were later erased. Towards the ends it’s also revealed Miv’s mum was likely attacked too, which adds nothing - it doesn’t change her depression or makes it more ‘valid’ (although that’s maybe what this book wants you to think), and because she doesn’t even know if it was him you’re left guessing at its importance.

I had a good time reading this, and would recommend it to others. It’s a great study in how to write kids/early teens as well. The ending just didn’t really feel right to me.

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beate251's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.75

Wow, that's one hell of a book. It takes place between 1979 and 1981, when all of Yorkshire was afraid of the Yorkshire Ripper. 12 year old Miv and her best friend Sharon try to find him by starting with their neighbours and writing down everything that is suspicious about them. Turns out it's a lot.

I thought this might be a nice coming-of-age story but it is only partly that. This is a multi POV story about friendship, first love and heartbreak against the backdrop of the Ripper years.

But this is also a story full of misogyny and racism - people being accused of things simply because they have the wrong skin colour or accent or are in any other way different. Kind of ironic if you know that Peter Sutcliffe was a pure Yorkshire man!

It's hard to read about some of the victims being described as "just prostitutes" and the public only getting interested when "respectable" women get attacked.

There are an incredible number of terrible men in this book, terrible for a multitude of reasons. Men with two faces or just one horrible one. You think the Yorkshire Ripper needs to be caught but you find the horrors in your neighbourhood instead, the wife beaters, racists, pedophiles, drunkards, liers and cheats. That will make you grow up fast - if you make it that far that is.

But there were also wonderful characters - Miv, Sharon, Ishtiaq and his Dad Omar, Paul, Helen and Dad Arthur, Jim...
I loved reading about them all.

A few niggles:
It felt strange that after children who were raising concerns about the "tickling uncle" were just being dismissed, there was nevertheless such a speedy conclusion to it.

Also, the book has 450 pages, and the last 50 are almost unbearable. Everything happens at once, tragedy ensues and things are suddenly dealt with within a few pages - I almost got whiplash.

For a debut novel this is astoundingly assured writing. It's absolutely unputdownable - I read this in one Saturday.

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emilyandthewhippet's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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

5.0

I rarely cry when reading but I sobbed at the ending.

Throughout the story I just wanted to hold Miv and tell her that everything would be okay. It was mysterious and even knowing of the Yorkshire ripper, I was still left wondering what would happen next throughout the story. The ending was somewhat predictable but I'm always able to work out where books are going so maybe it wouldn't be for others. Even with this in mind though, the twist was still very hard hitting.
Definitely one of the best books I've read this year, out of almost 60 books so far.

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what_heather_loves's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective 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? No

5.0

"I reached under the bed for my torch, switched it on and went back to my book. In just a few pages, my mind and body quietened as the words performed their hypnosis. I knew that my favourite character, Georgina - known as George for her tomboy looks and something called 'pluck' - would not be frightened about moving or even about the Yorkshire Ripper. In fact, she would probably summon the rest of the Five to try to catch him.
What if someone caught him? I wondered, as I drifted off to sleep. What if the murders were to stop? And we could stay? Then I would never have to leave Sharon and we could be best friends always."

It's late 1979 in the town of Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire. Focusing on the life of 11 year old Miv and her best friend Sharon, Aunty Jean, haulage manager Dad, unwell Mum and neighbours, widow Mr Bashir and son Ishtiaq, Arthur and many more. All the adults talk about is the Yorkshire Ripper, who is yet to be caught, so Miv decides she and Sharon will investigate, creating her List Of Suspicious Things.

Reminding me of The Trouble With Goats and Sheep and A Terrible Kindness, this is a nostalgic and heartwarming, coming of age tale. I adored Miv, finding her way, noticing suspicious men in her life (of which there were many!) and going to school whilst worrying about bullies, lipgloss, boys and her mum's quiet retreat from family life. Full of observant writing about human behaviour, with atmospheric dialect and affectionate humour: "gossip...filtered through Aunty Jean via washing line conversations - a route far more effective than the telephone..."and "Tupperware went up and down the streets of our town faster than the traffic." It has emotional depth and includes astute social and political commentary about how working class people lived, worked and behaved at this time, including the climate of fear that existed, especially in Yorkshire. Plenty of challenging topics are covered, including domestic violence, racism, grief, mental illness, suicide, death and of course the predatory murders of women, all seen through the eyes of Miv, her friends, family and neighbours. I adored reading this debut fiction and was sad it had to finish!

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rosecott's review against another edition

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emotional funny mysterious sad slow-paced

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

4.5

Such a clever story. I loved the characters, they all felt completely believable and real to me. Miv was so relatable, throwing me way back to what it was like to be 12 albeit in a much earlier decade! I also utterly adored Sharon and her beliefs in what was right.
This book made me laugh, and also broke my heart.
If you’re into true crime, then this was a fascinating look at the Yorkshire Ripper case from a completely different angle but also done in a sensitive way I feel.
Lots of dark themes explored but also somehow lighthearted and through the innocent lens of a child’s eyes.
Absolutely sobbing as I got to towards the end though.
I didn’t expect the turn of events at all.

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rokojo's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious

4.5

Wow so this book really blew me away. It's written from the perspective of Miv, an 11 year old girl who decides to solve the mystery of the yorkshire ripper as a distraction from her troubled home life.

This is a brilliant coming of age story, which uses Miv's hunt for the ripper as a lens to explore the time and place she's growing up in. Through her eyes we see who is protected in this community and who experiences neglect and violence. It looks clearly at the different experiences of race, gender, class, and disability without feeling forced or overly exploitative.

Throughout there is also a really interesting exploration of the double edged sword that is a close-knit community where everyone knows each other's business.

The book occasionally took turns with different narrators to show perspectives outside of Miv's which I think accomplished sharing a more adult perspective on the situation, although I will say I enjoyed some more than others, especially Helen and Omar's.

I also think it could have been a bit more restrained as Miv uncovers a darker side of her community through her investigations, there were some bits in the middle with members of the church community that didn't feel like they added much beyond just piling on to the hidden dark side to the community.

Overall though I think it worked really well and I enjoyed it a lot. Would definetly recommend picking this one up.

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mausi's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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

4.25

This book made me realise how rare it is to encounter stories of working class people, which is why this story was extremely educational for me from a cultural and historical perspective (as someone who did not grow up in the UK). What is a coming of age story on the surface, the book intertwines informative moments exploring topics like social class, racism, sexism, abuse and grief, making it notably original. The story felt so simple and real in the way it explores raw emotions and relationships within this small community in Yorkshire. It broke my heart but it also healed it in its special way.

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