Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste

2 reviews

stabilesero's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

Mengiste did this story justice; what a beautiful nod to her grandmother and those who fought in the Italian-Ethiopian war; particularly for those who went unrecognised.
I'm really keen to pick up Mengiste's other novels, The Shadow King was beautiful.
It wasn't perfect, I agree with other readers who also said there were a lot of side characters and names to keep up with, but I see why there were so many by the end of the book. A little bit of repetition regarding describing light and surroundings, but again, it didn't put me off. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death

daisymaytwizell's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective slow-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

I listened to the audiobook of this, and while that helped me as a white person learn how to pronounce the names/places, I do think that with all the shifts in time and perspective it would be a much easier read with a physical copy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Antisemitism, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual violence

Mengiste has a fantastic balance between communicating the horrors of war, without making the descriptions gratuitous.