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A review by booksafternoon
The Bread the Devil Knead by Lisa Allen-Agostini
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
What's striking about The Bread the Devil Knead it's the meaning behind it. It's the types of story we don't want to read about because we don't like to be reminded these situations really do happen. And that's why it's so important to read this.
I took a while to finish it. The themes it explores are heavy and I recommend you looking into the trigger warnings. A portion of this book is written in Trinidad creole and that took me some time to adjust (my mother tongue is not English and I was reading this book in English which probably didn't help) but it's completely worth it, it gives you a different perspective into the novel, one that makes characters like Alethea feel just too real.
Alethea is a character that intrigues me. She feels real, she could be real and she probably is. Women like Alethea have certainly existed and continue to do so. In the story we dive into Alethea's past and we get a glimpse into her dark childhood, we get to understand the psychology behind everything, we get to witness the trauma but we also get to witness the turning point.
This is the type of book I look forward to see in prize lists. I'm very happy that it made it to the Shortlist of the Women's Prize for Fiction 2022.
Sometimes we read books that are hard to recommend. This is one of those books.
I will reinforce it once more, please check the TW if you feel like you usually need.
I took a while to finish it. The themes it explores are heavy and I recommend you looking into the trigger warnings. A portion of this book is written in Trinidad creole and that took me some time to adjust (my mother tongue is not English and I was reading this book in English which probably didn't help) but it's completely worth it, it gives you a different perspective into the novel, one that makes characters like Alethea feel just too real.
Alethea is a character that intrigues me. She feels real, she could be real and she probably is. Women like Alethea have certainly existed and continue to do so. In the story we dive into Alethea's past and we get a glimpse into her dark childhood, we get to understand the psychology behind everything, we get to witness the trauma but we also get to witness the turning point.
This is the type of book I look forward to see in prize lists. I'm very happy that it made it to the Shortlist of the Women's Prize for Fiction 2022.
Sometimes we read books that are hard to recommend. This is one of those books.
I will reinforce it once more, please check the TW if you feel like you usually need.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Incest, and Rape