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sas_lk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I think I will try atleast one more book from Shafak because I do think she is talented. This one simply wasn't for me I think.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Hate crime, Violence, and War
Minor: Homophobia and Suicide
sammirosewater's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
yellowfleeces's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, and Alcohol
utopiaandmelancholy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Abortion
miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Like the bits from the fig tree: super interesting idea, love that as a way to tell history! But should have been edited down way more, and sometimes it felt too non fictiony for a fiction book
Also there were several different quotes i really liked but if that because sometimes it feels like she just keeps saying the say thing until she can get it across perfectly? Idk felt like it should have been edited more
So yeah would recommend, and it was v good and with a really interesting topic that ive not read about before but also why would a bee be able to read? Y’know?
‘People assume it's a matter of personality, the difference between optimists and pessimists. But I believe it all comes down to an inability to forget. The greater your powers of retention, the slimmer your chances at optimism.’
‘when you leave your home for unknown shores, you don't simply carry on as before; a part of you dies inside so that another part can start all over again.’
‘'Because the past is a dark, distorted mirror. You look at it, you only see your own pain. There is no room in there for someone else's pain.'’
‘sometimes what you called a perpetrator was just another name for an unacknowledged victim.’
Graphic: Addiction, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War
jenlovesbooksandcoffee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Sometimes, what you call the perpetrator was just another name for an unacknowledged victim.
The audio is so good!
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Drug abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War
crazytourists_books's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
When I started this book, I left aside all the biases that, inevitably as a Greek have towards the history of Cyprus, the events, the people, the british colonisation and then the island's dichotomy. I think that Shafak also did her best to leave her biases on the side, and overall, she did a very good job, but in places, it did feel kind of forcibly balanced.
Having said that, once again, I was lulled by the author's wonderful talent in storytelling; her words have a great power of pulling you in the story. A story of grief and loss and love.
And here I am, loving a love story!
My only regret is that I read in November, in England instead of August, in Greece, overlooking at the see, eating the most amazing fruit in the world! Fresh figs!
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Alcohol, and War
nicolaparty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Kidnapping
mlkai's review against another edition
3.0
writing to floral & detailed for my taste. the love story didn’t grab me. learning about the civil war felt heavy, timely, real. learned a lot about trees tho which i’m happy about
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Mental illness, Suicide, and Abandonment
jayvdw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Concerning the ending,
Overall, I really enjoyed my reading of this book, sometimes it made me sad whilst at other moments it was very joyful. I loved learning about the different perspectives and about the island of Cyprus. Writing-wise, I really enjoyed the small chapters, it made the book way more accessible. Overall I give it a 4.75. For me, it's just barely not a full 5, the book just missed a certain spark that would keep me hooked to read it nonstop, but overall it's an amazing book.
Graphic: War
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Hate crime