Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

15 reviews

mipa_jt's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Rape and Violence

nehaanna's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism

beccasteinbach's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Death, Sexual violence, Torture, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and War

cassielaj's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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

Wow, this one was tough. Beautiful writing about some heart-wrenching subject matter. Through the death and destruction around them, the three central sisters shine, each with her own unique story, personality, and perspective. Their families and friends are wonderful characters as well, and each approaches the challenges that arise with goodness and perseverance. It was super interesting to learn about a period of Indian history I was unfamiliar with, especially as told through the lens of these stories. For a short book, it has a lot of moving parts, but the important themes and threads are carried throughout and resolved nicely.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism and Suicidal thoughts

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

4.0

Set during India's Independence (1946-1948), this tale of three sisters had me hooked from the beginning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

someryarns's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Classism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and Colonisation

bookshelf_al's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Rape, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense 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? Yes

4.0

 Independence is historical fiction, set in rural Bengal during the time of the Partition. It starts off slowly and is mostly centred on older sister Priya’s struggle to become a doctor. As partition draws nearer, religious conflict mounts and violence erupts, forever altering the family and broadening the novel’s focus. Middle sister Deepa marries a Muslim and ends up isolated from her family and in an increasingly perilous situation. Meanwhile younger sister Jamini embarks on a course of action that could alienate her from Priya forever. Then violence hits again and the family dynamics change once more. I enjoyed the way the point of view rotated among the three sisters, enabling the reader to better understand their unique perspectives. Each sister’s story highlighted different problems women faced in India at the time of partition. Despite their disappointments, heartbreaks and disagreements all three kept going, and when the chips were down they came together to support each other. Apart from sisterhood the novel also explores themes of family and friendship.  I was struck by the sudden and seemingly inexplicable rise in religious hatred. Neighbours of different religions had lived happily side by side for years but it didn’t take much to provoke them into violence against each other. The author captured this well. The book is divided into five sections and each begins with short literary note providing historical context, and also a bit of foreshadowing which always made me want to read on. A solid read centring the experiences of women during the turbulent time of Partition. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Misogyny

canne287's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Rape

heatherjchin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Stalking, and Colonisation