Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Days Without End by Sebastian Barry

14 reviews

dahlialover's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Harrowing tale of two men and their lives spent during the early settlement of the United States. A bloody story about the slaughter of American Indians and then the civil war but softened by the caring, contemplative nature of the main character Thomas McNulty and his love for John Cole. Desperately sad in places. Provides what I imagine is a real outlook on how miserable and difficult their lives were then. Not necessarily a joy to read but Sebastian Barry’s writing is exceptional 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Murder, Colonisation, and War

ombiopaik's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-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? No

5.0

Incredible lgbtq+ story in history, no bury your gays here. Fantastic, gripping story and gave me a closer look at American history and the racism and atrocities first hand. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Genocide and Colonisation

Minor: Sexual violence

maddummel's review against another edition

dark tense medium-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? No

2.25

Zupełnie czegoś innego spodziewałam się po tej książce. 85% to opisy brutalnego ludobójstwa i wojny, które do niczego nie prowadzą. Niestety parę tych rozdziałów, które bardziej skupiały się na życiu głównego bohatera nie były na tyle dobre, żeby książkę uratować. A szkoda, bo koncept generalnie nie był zły.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Murder, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Child death, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Kidnapping

Minor: Ableism, Slavery, Torture, and Pandemic/Epidemic

bestknownfor's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

Has a lyrical almost slice-of-life feel to it. Thomas' voice comes through strongly, and the contrast between the everyday mundane and acts of horrific violence all comes together well. The exploration of Thomas' gender is thoughtful and well-done. 

Don't read this expecting a twisty love story - Thomas and John's relationship is very sweet but ultimately not a main focus. It's a portrait of a collection of people whose lives intertwine over years, and it does that very well indeed. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Murder, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Racial slurs, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

jinkx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

I have never read a book quite like this one. For starters, it is entirely out of my wheelhouse (I am more keen on fantasy genres). The style of the writing has such a specific character voice that shortly after starting, I decided to read along with the audiobook to be able to better appreciate the rhythm and flow of the narration. (This was also my first foray into audiobooks, and I enjoyed the narrator's voice.)

It took longer than it usually would for me to finish this book, but I loved it from beginning to the end. The author uses his ability to craft evocative descriptions for both good and evil. At times they are beautiful, and at times they are awful (...or gross—he does not shy away from gross details at times).  

Parts of this book were very hard for me to read, particularly some points nearer to the end. But still, I loved reading the relationship between Thomas McNulty and John Cole all throughout, from how they first struck a friendship, to how they became family to one another and also to Winona. Eventually, I am sure I will read the sequel, which focuses more on Winona.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Racism, Violence, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Racial slurs

lolatarantula's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I cant talk about this book for a myriad of reasons because it's a good fucking book in the same way Blood Meridian is a good book. Like, it's an amazing book but I don't think many people would enjoy this book. Anyway, look up the warnings before you read this. It isn't for everyone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

shearfeather's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Violence, and Colonisation

marxxx's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.75

most of this book left me sitting with a weird discomfort—the narrator and his partner are both complicit in a lot of really heinous things, and violence against Black and Indigenous people abounds. but I found it informative, and found the discomfort to be something worth examining, and the end of the book made me cry. 

The writing style takes some getting used but it adds something very unique and personal to the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

sanfordc11's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Violence, and Colonisation

bee1009's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Colonisation, and War