johnatetheapple's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
This book is black magic, its dark spell distills humanity into mere mortal words in a way that leaves you feeling speechless, uncomfortable, and utterly amazed.
This book weaves a complex story of intertwined narratives which feed off each other. The disorganised way in which the story is revealed to us serves to put us in the same mental haze the characters no doubt live through, suspended between the past and the present, their demons haunting them around every corner.
This book genuinely changed something inside of me, and it has rightfully earned the spot amongst the most remarkable book I’ve ever read in my life.
The book has a slow-pace, with the events unfolding leisurely. The author pulls you into many worlds and many perspectives in quick succession, and I was fascinated with the journey. I followed her through these numerous portals with the utmost pleasure. But fair warning that it may at times be disorienting, and at others completely overwhelming, so I don’t recommend reading this book all at once or very quickly. Pace yourself.
I feel like I was genuinely pulled into the world of Ayemenem, with its grief and love and laughter. Speaking of, this books was surprisingly funny, which is not something I’ve noticed any reviews I read mention. Yes, it is poignant and life-changing and harrowing, but it’s also hilarious at times, which caught me unawares.
I feel like I know these people intimately, and if I could only have one complaint it’s that I wish we saw more of Velutha especially, and more of adult Rahel and Estha, because I feel like I was starving for more of them but was left mostly hungry.
All in all, this book should be read by everyone and taught in schools, studied in universities. I am ready to write a 70-page dissertation on it.
I am genuinely tempted to bulk order copies of this book and simply begin handing them out to everyone I know.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death, Sexual violence, Sexism, Rape, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Classism, Child death, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Misogyny, and Murder
chinacosteladavis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Child death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Violence
rubbercitykitten's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Pedophilia, Child death, Violence, and Racism
margot_eliza's review against another edition
Couldn’t get into the book with the writing style - found it too hard to follow and felt like nothing had happened half way through
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Incest
ile94's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Child death, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
Minor: Incest
sabs98's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was a heart-wrenching story of pain, loss, and lifelong trauma. My heart breaks for Estha most of all, but for Rahel and Velutha, as well. Though there were many different avenues for pain to enter the lives of the two-egg twins, the way I see it, growing up in a house with a woman full of poisonous resentment and self-preservation to no end was the biggest factor of their suffering. I wanted to punch Baby Kochamma in the face multiple times throughout the story. For me, this book (perfectly) captures the silenced fury, the poignant heartbreak, the helplessness that can only be evoked by prejudiced systems designed keep certain, good-hearted, average people fearful and small, and to keep other fearful yet dangerously arrogant people powerful and important.
Although it was annoying at times to me, Roy's style of narration is very unique and intentional, and in the last 50 or so pages of the book the purpose of narrating in certain ways became clear to me. I would love to read this book again to understand better Roy's literary artistry (only after I've recovered from this heartbreak).
Although it was annoying at times to me, Roy's style of narration is very unique and intentional, and in the last 50 or so pages of the book the purpose of narrating in certain ways became clear to me. I would love to read this book again to understand better Roy's literary artistry (only after I've recovered from this heartbreak).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Incest
mengzhenreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.75
This book has so much to unpack. the writing? delicious. the plot? nuanced and complex. the characters? rich with history and personality. I need to reread this asap because there's just so much to analyze.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child death, Pedophilia, and Violence
Moderate: Incest, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Death
Minor: Racism
nhewitt99's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Following the perspectives of a large family through many points in time, the style of this book is dizzying at first. Give it time, and the same qualities make it completely immersive. The prevailing story is a tragedy, yanked along by nonlinear storytelling that foreshadows every detail before it happens. It's gripping, and moving, and so difficult to put down.
I was amazed by how many themes Roy could probe through the lens of one family, including love, modernity, history, classism, sexism, colonialism, trauma, and self determinism. Each topic is given respect and nuance via the myriad perspectives offered by the large cast of characters.
The rhetoric is beautiful and makes great use of extended metaphor and symbolism. It's also ripe with the phrase-as-adjective speech that I'm a sucker for, like deep-seaweed-feeling.
I was amazed by how many themes Roy could probe through the lens of one family, including love, modernity, history, classism, sexism, colonialism, trauma, and self determinism. Each topic is given respect and nuance via the myriad perspectives offered by the large cast of characters.
The rhetoric is beautiful and makes great use of extended metaphor and symbolism. It's also ripe with the phrase-as-adjective speech that I'm a sucker for, like deep-seaweed-feeling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Classism, Police brutality, and Colonisation
closethikikomori's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Racism, Gaslighting, Child death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Incest
shy_i's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Very tough book to read. It contains descriptions of child abuse, domestic abuse, and police brutality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Child death