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stindex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
chelsl's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Colonisation, and War
kittyka0s's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War
moriahleigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and War
paperquilt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, and War
tenten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Child death and Antisemitism
zoes_human's review
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual harassment, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
booksjessreads's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
I liked how this book showed you how no character was 100% good or bad and that each person had their own good and bad qualities. It demonstrates that the oppressed can also be the oppressor and provokes mixed feelings for each character throughout the novel.
I really loved the writing style too, beautiful prose. I found the lack of speech marks hard at first, but like with Girl, Woman, Other, you get there when you get into the flow of the book.
Graphic: Racism, Rape, Blood, Murder, and War
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, and Antisemitism
athenaia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
unfiltered_fiction's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I have mixed feelings about this book myself - there were elements of it that were phenomenal, and aspects that felt quite underdeveloped.
I found several of the structural and stylistic elements a little frustrating. A lack of quote marks and use of first person present tense, two of my pet hates in literature, made it difficult for me to properly lose myself in the story. The story is also presented in a highly stylised way, with interludes and choruses, with references in both style and content to Homer's Iliad. I really applaud Mengiste's aim of writing back to the male, Western and white dominated tradition of epic, but I found these framing techniques emotionally distancing and a little forced.
One of the key things I found frustrating was how little agency women maintained throughout the story. In her author's note, Mengiste says that "The story of war had always been a masculine story, but this was not true for Ethiopia and it has never been that way in any form of struggle. Women have been there, we are here now." Whilst she's absolutely right, this book really didn't feel to me like it put women right at the centre of the story.
However, the writing is stunning. It is philosophically rich, immaculately researched, and a distinctly valuable resistance to Western-centred narratives of conflict. It's an especially important text because Mengiste reminds the reader of the very, very recent brutality inflicted on people and nations of colour by European regimes; I have spent years in classrooms learning about the World Wars and their historical, but I did not know a thing about Mussolini's campaigns on Ethiopia.
It's a very important story, but overall, I wasn't a huge fan of how it was told.
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail