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aeneia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Child abuse
hannahleewhite's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia and Sexual assault
language_loving_amateur's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Violence, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide, Torture, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Colonisation
ukponge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Violence, Islamophobia, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This one puts you through the wringer of emotions! The sheer horror & brutality of the three young students' deaths is shocking, but there's more to come when Philip Taiwo (recently returned to Nigeria with his family from living in the US) comes up against the culture clash during his investigation. It's not a high action thriller, or even a pacy legal thriller, it's an examination of the issue of mob violence & the atrocities to which this can lead. The main character also has his flaws, an estrangement with his wife could be sorted out with a conversation but Philip decides to nurse his grievances instead, & he flirts with his attraction to another woman. Overall though I enjoyed it enough to finish reading it & will pick up the next in the series.
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Drug use and Homophobia
Minor: Infidelity
minimicropup'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? No
4.0
🇳🇬 Set in Port Harcourt and Okriki (based on Okrika), Nigeria
☺️ We are given context for customs, cultural meaning, and traditions without disruptive overexplanation or talking down to the reader. For example, Dr. Taiwo notices how his assistant behaves and speaks to him so that's how we come to understand what is considered formal or informal if you aren't familiar. And when something would be a natural progression due to friendship vs a sign of disrespect, because it's shown not just told.
👌 Similarly, we see that there is political corruption, hatred, and prejudice, but it isn't a judgy good vs evil thing or looked down upon as if Nigeria is less-than. Since Dr. Taiwo was educated in the US and has recently moved to Lagos, he finds himself lost, confused, even horrified sometimes about local ongoings. Other characters help him to understand the history for why some of these systems exist and continue, why many feel it is justified and even keeping them safe, and we learn alongside him. The other characters were also developed - the characters I didn't trust weren't always untrustworthy and those who seemed benign or helpful weren't always so.
😇 Our MC is trying to do his job without ruffling feathers, but his morals and questions sometimes get him into hot water. For me, it wasn’t contrived, convoluted, or annoying because I also felt as shocked, confused, or uncertain about events and people as the MC. The suspense probably relies on caring about our MC though, but he is likeable for the most part (even if sometimes naive).
💥💪 I tend to lose interest in action-adventure crime thrillers, but this worked for me because the high-stakes moments weren't drawn out with overly descriptive action moves, contrived escapes, or long-winded attempts at survival somehow always going wrong. It seemed realistic and plausible.
- Crime fiction about corruption and small town secrets
- High stakes sleuthing suspense threaded with light touches of cozy mystery moments
- Action-adventure dark academia with escape-to-survive plots and violent threats
- Contemporary fiction about psychological effects of trauma on societies and communities
Content Heads-Up: Infidelity (suspected). Mob mentality and violence. Fire/fire injury. Drug use (addiction). Homophobia (persecution and imprisonment). Corruption (political and law enforcement). Religious violence. Gun violence. Grief (loss of adult child). Mental illness/breakdown (from trauma).
Format: Kindle
Moderate: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Infidelity, Islamophobia, and Grief
kirstym25's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, and Torture
naiu_cs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Drug use
chikamma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Violence
octygon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Minor: Child abuse and Drug use