Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Wir brauchen neue Namen by NoViolet Bulawayo

14 reviews

katy_bee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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

4.75

A really beautifully written book with some very dark themes. The early section was the most compelling for me. I thought the child's perspective on a confusing adult political situation was really well done. The latter half felt disappointed and lost- very intentionally as it mirrored the characters experience

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War

chrisiant's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death and War

Minor: Child abuse

ameliasbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny sad fast-paced

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

4.0

Usually I'm having difficulties with child characters in stories. Very often I find their thoughts and dialogues unbelievable, but this wasn't the case here. I really enjoyed reading about the daily life and the adventures Darling and her friends went on. Maybe I would have preferred one or two characters less, because not all of them were portrayed really memorably.

The author did a good job in letting the place and the experiences the protagonists had coming alive on the page.

Can't really say which part I enjoyed more, the one that takes place in Zimbabwe or the one in the US. Both are similar important to the story, so I had no preference. 

The only criticism I have is that Bulawayo tries too hard to cover numerous themes and therefore can't really go into depth with most of them. This is a short book, so most of the covered topics stay quite on the surface and aren't explored enough. Which I would have been really interested in.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Dementia, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, War, and Injury/Injury detail

hotkoolaidpotato's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, and War

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Abortion, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

madsquirrel's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Rape

dianakamau's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective tense 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, Excrement, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Grief

Minor: Abortion and Abandonment

elenaysuslibros's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

Leí este libro gracias a mi club de lectura y me encanta haber tenido la oportunidad de toparme con este libro. 

Siento que constantemente estaba sintiendo ternura por la inocencia de los juegos y la manera de ver la vida de Darling y sus amigos, y también tristeza por las condiciones que vivían. Me encanta la sutileza con la que se cuentan temáticas bastante fuertes, como están narradas desde el punto de vista de una niña no están contadas de una manera tan explícita, pero queda claro la gravedad y el dolor de lo que estaba ocurriendo. 

El libro se divide en dos partes: cuando Darling está viviendo en Zimbabwe con sus amigos, y cuando viaja con su tía a Estados Unidos. En la primera parte se muestra más que nada su niñez y sus sueños, que a pesar de que ella y sus amigos tienen vidas difíciles logran pasar lindos momentos juntos. Ya en Estados Unidos, Darling comienza a buscarse a sí misma y descubrirse como persona, con el choque de haber dejado su vida atrás en su país y que ahora debe adaptarse a una cultura que no entiende por completo. Da una sensación agridulce ver cómo va creciendo, cómo recuerda con mucho cariño su infancia en Zimbabwe a pesar de lo dura que fue su vida, pero que con el tiempo va perdiendo lo poco que le va quedando de su lugar de origen, hasta que ya es solo un recuerdo al que se aferra con cariño.

La escritura de la autora es maravillosa, tiene una manera muy poética y clara de describir los sentimientos de Darling. Toda la experiencia de leer este libro es muy emotiva y dolorosa a veces.
Me encantaría ver este libro siendo más popular. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Child abuse

feebles640's review against another edition

challenging dark funny sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Sexual content, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Incest, Racism, Dementia, Abortion, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Deportation

Minor: Mass/school shootings

goatsrsexy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

This book had a lot going on. It was about Zimbabwean children playing games and trying to understand situations way too complex for children, and it was also about immigrants in America and the feeling of not quite belonging anywhere. It was a really beautiful and at times heartaching read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Child abuse and Death

ollie_again's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Religious bigotry, Abortion, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Rape, Vomit, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

Minor: Eating disorder, Pedophilia, and Suicide attempt