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rieviolet's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.0
I appreciated the glimpse into a time and place (the Dominican Republic in the years of the Trujillo dictatorship) that I was completely unfamiliar with.
There were some aspects that I struggled with (mainly the strong religious focus and the inevitable association of womanhood with marriage and motherhood) but since that has to do with my own sensibilites, it might bother other readers less.
The chapters with alternating POVs and the insertion of sections with diary entries make for a flowing reading experience. Still, I found some parts and perspectives more interesting and engaging than others.
I really liked the final section from Dedé's POV, I found it the most moving and also the most effective in terms of prose.
There were some aspects that I struggled with (mainly the strong religious focus and the inevitable association of womanhood with marriage and motherhood) but since that has to do with my own sensibilites, it might bother other readers less.
The chapters with alternating POVs and the insertion of sections with diary entries make for a flowing reading experience. Still, I found some parts and perspectives more interesting and engaging than others.
I really liked the final section from Dedé's POV, I found it the most moving and also the most effective in terms of prose.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Blood, Dementia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Genocide, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, Medical content, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, and Lesbophobia