Reviews with content warning for Rape - Nightbloom

I got pulled into this novel from the first page, and I stayed up late way too many nights telling myself I'd read just a few more pages. There were so many times reading the story of Akorfa and Selasi (and the various other people around them) that I wanted to scream my rage at the people who kept trying to silence them, to remind them that they should not bring dishonor or embarrassment to their families. A look into racism (for Akorfa in the US), into a corrupt government trying to silence Selasi when she stands up for another young woman (in Ghana), dealing with deaths and abandonment of family members, and the rape they both experience made me so angry for them. But yet, Akorfa and Selasi (especially Selasi) also gave me hope. They are strong women and they know their strength and will not be silenced.

It's a challenging read but also a very fast one, and one that I highly recommend for everyone to read.

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obfuscatress's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

3.25

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baileyanabella's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

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readalongwithyasmin's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

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balladofreadingqueer's review against another edition

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challenging emotional 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? Yes

5.0

I loved this book. It was such an enjoyable and engaging read. It follows two young girls, cousins and best friends Selasi and Akorfa. Their lives start as close friends in the village of Ho, but as Akorfa moves to Accra and they go to boarding school and eventually to university their lives become more and more distant. An eventual confrontation and secret reveals truths about their past.

This story addresses friendship, family, reputation, expectations and life plans.

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amy_park's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

4.0

Read this book via audio and really enjoyed the journey and writing style. We follow two cousins in Ghana for a span of 30 years and the fallout of their friendship break down and how their lives progressed separately and finally join back together. This book is very emotional and passionate which really resonated within the audio book.
I liked the originality of the book being separated by the first half being told by Akorfa and second half from Selasi's perspective. I found it engaging and having both perspectives you really digged deeper into the characters and storyline.
Many heavy areas were explored, which emotionally drew me in. I would read more from this author and definetly would recommend reading via audiobook.

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