Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah

9 reviews

wellreadandhalfdead's review

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

kananineko's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Classism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, Suicide attempt, and War

Minor: Gun violence

olliepopop's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Rape, Sexism, and Slavery

moonlitemuseum's review

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.

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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

davisbb's review

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Suicide, War, and Injury/Injury detail

calybe's review

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, and War

Moderate: Sexual violence

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

princeofthefleshprison's review

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

Dark, poignant, and melancholy all throughout, What It Means When A Man Falls From the Sky is an accomplished collection. Grief and generational trauma haunt all of the eclectic characters, whether that be a pregnant teenage con artist or a goddess searching for her children. Spanning across the diverse settings its protagonists find themselves in —from modern-day US to futuristic Lagos —  each story is written with noteworthy wit and simplicity, just before the final, gut-wrenching end. Highly recommend, 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and War

etosaurus's review

dark sad

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Kidnapping, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Infidelity

readandfindout's review

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Trigger warnings: Domestic violence, child abuse, sexual abuse and harassment, references to rape, suicidal ideation

Overall rating: 4 stars

The Future Looks Good: 4 stars
War Stories: 4.5 stars
Wild: 5 stars
Light: 4.5 stars
Second Chances: 4 stars
Windfalls: 3 stars
Who Will Greet You at Home: 5 stars
Buchi's Girls: 3 stars
What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky: 4.5 stars
Glory: 4 stars
What is a Volcano?: 2.5 stars
Redemption: 3.5 stars

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts