Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

50 reviews

djreads's review

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Disclaimer: this is a review that is not helpful if you’re reading it to decide if you might like this book. This review is more for my own recollection than anything else. It’s best to just skip it. There are many things I liked and disliked about this book. Foremost, I’m not sure why so many people listed it as funny. There may have been a slightly dark humor funny part or two but I picked it up specifically because it’s supposedly funny and was sorely disappointed by it not being. I thought it was triggering and frustrating and sad and many many things but not funny. It elicited many negative emotions for me, especially after the halfway point. None of that is to say that it wasn’t good, I think it was, and still I wish I hadn’t read it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, and Gaslighting

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Sexism, Police brutality, and Religious bigotry

searchandrescueteam's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

What a GREAT book.  An audio book for me - and the reading, the tonal changes, the quick-smart responses between the women really doubled my enjoyment.  Terrible stuff happens, and it is focussed on appalling treatment of women - but the twists and turns and the development of the central character are intriguing.  The dark humour was a bonus - with laugh-out-loud moments in the midst of real tension.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

gudrqa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

What a wonderful read!
It definitely is one of my favorite books.
Reading it you can always feel on edge, not knowing what will happen. You never are sure if the characters are safe or what will happen to them. It’s masterfully crafted so that you never know if everything is going towards a happy ending or doom. 
I loved pausing my read to learn about different aspects of India and its culture. Because of that it took me much longer to read than anticipated but I feel inspired to research more on my own. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

jcgirl1032's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.0

I started this book thinking it was going to be more lighthearted than it turned out to be. It touches on some very heavy topics, but it does so in a way that helps explain them very well. Geeta is an Indian woman whose abusive husband left her. Everyone in her small village believes that she killed him, which is both a blessing and curse for her. Then some other women in the village come and asks for help in killing off their husbands. Geeta grows a lot, from a timid, abused housewife to someone who gets to actually know herself and what she is capable of, even if some of it scares her. Definitely recommend this book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Physical abuse

Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Infertility, Toxic relationship, and Blood

iwishihadmoretimetoread's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring 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

I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat, I just think the author writes so well and conveys emotion and its complexity so well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

amanda_reads89's review

challenging hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

arnoles's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

I absolutely LOVED this book and could barely put it down for about the last 2/3 of the story. I really liked the liberal use of dialogue, which felt so authentic and really fleshed out each character's unique personality and perspective. I cared about all the women so much by the end. it's a huge testament to the author's excellent writing that she was able to create so many vibrant, well developed characters and craft an action packed plot in just over 300 pages without anything feeling rushed or unearned. The subject matter of the book is very dark, but Schroff's writing is filled with humor and humanism. I genuinely laughed out loud throughout the book. I will be excitedly looking forward to this author's next publication!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Drug abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infertility, Pedophilia, Suicide, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, and Death of parent

itsredandread's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Slavery, and Religious bigotry

burnedstory's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? No

5.0

I loved it. Shroff has acquired the feat of telling such a heavy story, portraying such heavy issues in such a humours but impactful way. A real page turner. Often when talked about India casteism is not talked about, it's like an unspoken devil in the nation but the way it was written in the story, I applaud it (Here I understand my privelige of being an upper caste person and not knowing even the tip of discrimination). The humour in the story in my opinion is commendable, shows the strength and courage of these women. Shroff says, she wanted to honour the Bandit Queen, Phoolan Mallah and I think she acheived that in a wonderful way. One of the major takeaways for me from the book was the power of female friendship, how these women stood behind each other warmed my heart. As we talk about feminism in the modern world, somewhere we forget about women like Geeta, Saloni, Farah and co. So I am very grateful to get to read their story. One where they are not put on pedestals, one where they are human and make wrong decisions and face the consequences of it. It's beautiful to read.
If "I support women's rights and women's wrongs" could be a book this very well might be it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Murder, and Gaslighting

sskinner155's review

dark funny tense fast-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

Idiots trying to get away with murder. The type of feminism where you hate women but hate men more. If someone says they have a dark sense of humor have them read this book. Absolutely loved, made me laugh out loud.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, and Torture