Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

3 reviews

jedore's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

3.0

I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done, of everything done to me. I am everyone everything who is being in the world affected was affected by mine. I am anything that happens after I’ve gone, which would not have happened if I had not come.”

Midnight’s Children is the life story of a man born at midnight on the day India gained independence from Britain. 

First, I would like to give my respect to anyone else who made it through this book. This is NOT an easy read! 

Here’s what made it extremely challenging for me:

1) Not knowing enough about India’s history to understand much of what I was reading. As it’s written in an allegorical style without clear explanations, in my opinion, this book is best read with solid knowledge in place. 

2) The storytelling is a bit manic and tough to follow. 

3) Salman isn’t a fan of commas.

4) It’s not a book that creates any sort of emotional attachment with any of the characters. 

While I understand it’s inclusion in 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die as it is quite brilliant, I’m not so sure about Modern Library’s choice to include it their top 100 books. The inclusion in the former is why I pushed myself through to the end. I feel like I should get some sort of achievement ribbon or something 😁 

Despite the unusual writing style, I am smarter now than I was when I started and I might be able to have a 10 minute conversation about India, which I wouldn’t have been able to do before! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

travisppe's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• 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

4.25

This is a remarkable book. Uniquely written with a vibrancy that is rarely seen in literature. It is also very dense, difficult, and complex. I can’t say I always had a ton of fun reading it. I’m impressed and have nothing but respect for this accomplishment but I doubt I’d ever reread this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Death of parent, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Infertility, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Classism, and Deportation

laurikas's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I'm at a loss of what to write here as a review.

I've never read anything quite like this, of this magnitude or with such intricate writing. It reminded me a lot of 100 years of solitude, but chutneysised. 

It is a book to read again and discover yet more nuances - nose and knees, knees and nose. I guess I can only say it will have a special place in my heart for years to come.

Ps. Better review to come, perhaps one day, perhaps not.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Bullying and Dementia