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grboph's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I am very glad I read this book. While I did find large parts of it boring, since I have never been much of a fan of books without a lot of plot or character development, I really enjoyed the deep dives into each of the characters' histories and all of the messages contained in the story. I really liked how time and mental illness played a large role (especially since mental illness was something that was so stigmatized at the time this book was published) and I think it also has a lot of valuable things to say about the role of women in society, especially in relation to the roles of men. I also loved that since there was a very slow pace and no real plot, we got to spend a lot of time with each character and really find out what makes them tick, even if they only played a very minor role in the actual events of the story. Because of these things, I gave the book a fairly high rating even though I tend to prefer books that are faster-paced than this one and have more of a plot. Still, I am very happy to have read it and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something introspective or philosophical to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Racism, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, War, and Classism
Minor: Misogyny and Suicidal thoughts
One of the main plot points in this book is how one character (a World War I veteran) undergoes a failed psychiatric treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and hallucinations and then commits suicide when people come to take him to a psychiatric hospital. There is also some general misogyny and racism (which were widespread in society during the time in which this book is set) and several mentions of British imperialism and the colonization of India.