Reviews tagging 'Child death'

A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

17 reviews

claire_michelle18's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Death of parent

rchulin1's review against another edition

sad fast-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

suzieel's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

ysabear's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

I read this for book club. It's not something I would have chosen for myself but the politics, filial hierarchy and socioeconomic commentary in this book felt so familiar to me as someone from a developing Southeast Asian country. This is almost a slice-of-life about a wealthy doctor and an impoverished boy whose lives sometimes intertwine because they interact with the same people. The quality of the writing is top-notch but be warned--this book is heartbreakingly sad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Death of parent

Moderate: Kidnapping

junglejelly's review against another edition

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a beautifully written book with such interesting characters.

While I did mostly enjoy the book, I did find the middle too slow in pace, and the parents' perspectives too jarring. The slow pace and different perspectives affected the flow of the book.

The ending is so haunting and left me

devestated with the family deaths and the unhopeful feeling it leaves you with

.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

rei_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Suicide

amanda_marie's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I very much enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator’s did a wonderful job. It was a nice slow pace for a while, letting me get invested in the characters. Everything felt quite low stakes. The ending, however, felt a bit like getting hit by a bus. And then it was over. And honestly I’m still not sure how I feel about that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Death of parent

amberinpieces's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-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? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

This story reminded me a lot of Mistry’s A Fine Balance. I admired her ability to weave the characters stories and reveal so much through showing rather than telling. The tragedies felt earned but not inevitable and every word of the story felt like it described the situation perfectly. it was difficult to read at times because of the subjects, but all were handled very well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Classism

Moderate: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

jesstaurant's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, and Death of parent