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Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'
What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah
2 reviews
moonlitemuseum's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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
The platter of misery served up by Lesley Nneka Arimah is so potent and rich that I could barely stomach it. It took me two tries to get through this anthology of short stories in full, but what a range! So many left me feeling haunted, empty, gnawing, but thoroughly sustained in spite of that.
I originally heard the titular "What It Means When A Man Falls from the Sky" on Levar Burton's podcast and it shook me to the core. A world where math=empathy, where our current climate troubles turn global politics inside-out, where grief is empirically indigestible—i loved everything about the anxious world she wove in this story. It hits like a bullet every time.
Most of the stories take a grain of sadness in the lives of women and inspect it under a microscope. How do they fail themselves? How are they failed by the societies around them? How do they continue on? I often dreaded the pause that signaled the end of the story, knowing its characters would be left there, suspended in their grief. It's incredibly effective work. I can't wait to read more from this author.
I originally heard the titular "What It Means When A Man Falls from the Sky" on Levar Burton's podcast and it shook me to the core. A world where math=empathy, where our current climate troubles turn global politics inside-out, where grief is empirically indigestible—i loved everything about the anxious world she wove in this story. It hits like a bullet every time.
Most of the stories take a grain of sadness in the lives of women and inspect it under a microscope. How do they fail themselves? How are they failed by the societies around them? How do they continue on? I often dreaded the pause that signaled the end of the story, knowing its characters would be left there, suspended in their grief. It's incredibly effective work. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, and Blood
calybe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
I first heard the title story on the Le Var Burton Reads podcast and knew I had to read more of Lesley Nneka Arimah's work. This collection of short stories interweaves generational trauma, girlhood, familial expectations with magical realism and human stories that make you reflect about the world. These are not stories that pulsate and stay with you long after you are done reading. There were quite a few stories that I read with tears in my eyes. All the characters feel real, and whether likable or unlikable, you understand why they are the way they are and you can't help but wish for the best outcome. More than one stories ending has left me in emotional turmoil. A fantastic collection of short stories that I devoured and will be a piece of me for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, and War
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Adult/minor relationship