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marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
This is quite a provocative book. It is narrated by Darling, who, throughout most of the book, is a tween living in a Zimbabwe slum in the 2000s, having been displaced from her modest home by paramilitary violence. She and her friends process their reality through play and antics, which include the game “Find bin Laden,” a reenactment of a community member’s murder, and a near-attempt at a coat hanger abortion. When Darling moves in with her aunt in America, she discovers that many cultural differences cannot be translated and yearns for her beloved homeland, to which she cannot return, lest she be trapped.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Alcoholism, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Colonisation
Minor: Bullying, Child death, Suicide, Transphobia, Death of parent, and Abandonment
jana_f's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Hate crime, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abortion, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Excrement, and Vomit