Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Love Marriage by Monica Ali

16 reviews

anna_i3's review

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Not what I expected which I was pleased by but I didn't really enjoy as I didn't find anyone to really root for and love

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Kidnapping

Minor: Racism

noella19's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I’m just happy she realised that she was part of the problem. Without that ending I might have continued to be annoyed by her. 

Life really is not simple.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Addiction and Misogyny

danimcthomas's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

Ali’s characters are some of the most well developed I’ve ever read - she captures the intricacies of human relationships so beautifully. Love Marriage feels like a coming-of-age story but all the characters are well into their adulthood. I didn’t want it to end.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Dementia, Medical trauma, and Alcohol

bootsmom3's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing tense slow-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Classism

Minor: Dementia

lauren_may_reads's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

Moderate: Alcoholism, Incest, and Racism

Minor: Domestic abuse and Rape

jazful's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Blood, Grief, Pregnancy, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Death, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Colonisation

jennikreads's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Dementia

Moderate: Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Islamophobia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Lesbophobia

lngoo's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

3.5

Overall I enjoyed it but some parts felt like it was dragging, and then the ending felt quite abrupt

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Racism, and Sexual violence

lhodgson26's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

 This was a very intense book to read with a lot of conplex character history all entangled in two families. Yasmin and Joe were first protrayed to be this perfect junior doctor couple heading into marriage but that soon shattered when Joe admitted his infidelity and then Yasmin did it first out of revenge but then multiple times again. It was then revealed that Joe had more serious problems with his relationship with sex and his mother. Finally in the end it was revealed his mother had been sexually  abused by her own father which played some role in her relationship with her son. On Yasmins side there were more deep rooted issues with her mothers sexual assault being revealed at the end and the deal her father had done to marry her mother. Added in the complexity of Flame and her Father's infidelity and disapproval of her brothers relationship and child. In addition to improtant themes of race, identity and gender being discussed this book really had everything. Although it almost felt like too much at points and I was disappointed that it seemed to be left open that she may eventually get back with Joe rather then both move on as they clearly weren't right for each other. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and Islamophobia

bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective slow-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

3.0

I struggled to rate this because, by and large, I did enjoy it. Ali has crafted a family saga for the ages, her characters distinctly drawn, their overlapping stories and struggles compelling. (I recall reading a review that compared it to a Dickens novel, which feels apt!) But I also found it incredibly slow to read -- the pace isn't entirely there, and I don't think the story warrants five hundred pages. Make of that what you will.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Infidelity, and Medical content

Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Pregnancy

Minor: Alcoholism, Death, and Violence